The Aftermath
by MysticTraveller
Summary: The Fourth Ninja War. A lot was lost and a lot was gained. See how the war affected our favourite ninjas and our knucklehead.
1. Chapter 1

Hi! This is my first fanfic, just something I wanted to try. I hope you will like it. It has some Naru/Ino in the end. If people will like it I'm going to continue and write a couple of chapters. This is just an experiment of mine to see if I'm any good at writing. ;)

Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto and all that gibberish.

The Fourth Shinobi War. The war that finally brought peace to the ninja world. A lot of lives were lost in the war. Many friends, brothers, sisters were lost in the conflict. But they died knowing they are trying to make a difference. And they did make a difference. The war was won. Tobi was killed by the hands of Uzumaki Naruto and Killer Bee, the last two jinchuriki still alive. They teamed up with their tenants and used all of their power to end his terror.

On the other side of the battlefield fought the 5 Kages against the newly revived Uchiha Madara. The battle was long and taxing. Madara earned his right to be called one of the strongest ninja to have ever existed in the world alongside First Hokage. But even he couldn't stand up to the 5 Kages. The battle lasted for several hours but in the end he was defeated and sealed forever in Gaara's sand fortress.

Kabuto was defeated by the Uchiha brothers, Itachi and Sasuke. His goal finished Itachi returned to the land of the dead. He gave Sasuke one final advice, to stop his quest of revenge and return to his friends and 'brother'.

Sasuke told him that that won't happen and that he will have revenge upon Konoha. He will stifle their laughter and kill them all. But first he will crush their hope, their hero, Uzumaki Naruto.

On his way to face Naruto, he was confronted by his old comrades, the rookie 11. They tried to stop him and convince him to return to Konoha. He refused and just laughed maniacally saying "Do you really think I could ever return to Konoha and live happily ever after with you all? The only reason I will return to that weak village is to destroy every single villager, every single ninja, every building till there is nothing left but dust."

They all saw him for what he really was, all except Sakura. She still hoped that there is some light in him. She tried to persuade him, to make him see reason, she even told him that she loved him and that she would do anything for him. Sasuke's only answer was to draw his sword and activate his Sharingan.

Shikamaru took charge and started ordering his friends to take battle formations. He knew they stood little chance against him without Naruto. But even though chances of victory were next to none, he will give it his all, to protect his friends, his family, to protect Naruto, the village pariah who saved them all.

The battle that ensued was epic. But even though Sasuke was outnumbered he was stil holding his ground and was fighting back. Shikamaru in a desperate move ordered his friends to attack him at the same time while Sakura attacks him from behind and uses her strength to penetrate through his Susanoo.

The plan worked flawlessly till the last moment. Sasuke was focused trying to give Susanoo enough power to withstand their attack. He was too focused to notice Sakura moving behind him and gathering all of her chakra in her fist to end his life or at least cripple him.

It all went downhill from there. Sakura stopped inches from hitting him. She just couldn't do it. Images of young Sasuke flashed before her eyes, all the moments they spend together with team 7,all the laughter, sadness, all the battles they've won together."I'm sorry Naruto. I just can't do it" thought Sakura.

At that moment Sasuke noticed her and turned around and used Susanoo to try and stab her. He looked in her eyes and saw her smiling. It was a peaceful smile. She knew what was coming.

Shikamaru and others tried to warn her and all started running towards her hoping they would make it. Fate was not on their side that day.

The sword from Susanoo struck Sakura through her stomach. There was no sound heard from her. She had a peaceful expression on her face and you could see a lone tear escaping from her eye.

Sasuke was unaffected by this and with a flick from his wrist threw her towards her friends. She was caught by Ino who was already crying while cradling her pale and cold body. She hopelessly tried to heal hear. She used all of her chakra trying to save her.

She looked into Sakura's eyes and saw that this is one battle that she won't emerge victorious. Ino felt so hopeless at that moment, exactly when her sensei, Asuma, died. She couldn't do anything. The tears just wouldn't stop coming.

The remaining rookies all formed a defensive circle around Sakura and Ino. All staring at Sasuke with all the hate they could muster. Sasuke just stood there impassively, acting like this is an everyday thing for him, killing his friends.

" Do you still wish to fight me? My goal is Naruto and not you weaklings. You cannot hope to win against my hatred. You don't know pain like I do. You live your perfect lives, with your families and lovers, laughing all because of my family's sacrifice." Sasuke said.

"Shut up you maniac. You have no right to judge us. We were not responsible for the massacre. We were kids back then, how could we be responsible for what happened to your family", shouted an enraged Kiba.

"Kiba's right" intervened Sai." You cannot blame the actions of your brother on the whole village and us. What happened to your family was because of your brother and no one else.

"Shut up" said a shaking Sasuke. "You know nothing of what you speak of. My brother was a true ninja, a hero. He made the ultimate sacrifice. And for what? Just so that all of you could continue living in your fairy tales."

Shikamaru saw that talking to him was pointless now. He was too far gone.' Nothing could save him now not even Naruto. Right now the most important thing is to save Sakura, every single second counts.' thought Shikamaru.

He turned towards Sakura and Ino and saw his longtime friend crying over Sakura's didn't know if this meant that she is already dead or something else. While he was concentrating on Ino and Sakura, Sasuke once again activated his absolute defense and attack,Susanoo.

It all happened too fast for the rookies to react. The ethereal being fired multiple arrows towards them. They couldn't do anything. Ino was too engrossed in trying to heal Sakura to even notice the danger coming upon her. There is nothing they could do, any technique they could use to prevent the arrow from hitting took too long to activate.

Shikamaru closed his eyes and smiled to himself." So this is it, huh. Dying at the hands of my onetime friend. What a troublesome way to go" thought a smiling Shikamaru.

Sasuke could see fear in their eyes and took pleasure in that. "This is the end for you" said Sasuke. Then something happened.

The earth started to shake, the trees were shaking. In a split second, a yellow blur shot forward and deflected all of the arrows. Sasuke's eyes widened."Such speed. Who or what was that? Naruto? Impossible, no one could be that fast, not even him." Said a surprised Sasuke.

When the dust settled you could see a lone figure standing before the rookies. His blue eyes slitted like a fox. He was covered in yellow chakra and had weird black markings all over his body."What power, what chakra, what is this? How did he get this strong? Is this the power of Kyuubi?" thought Sasuke.

"Hello Sasuke" said Naruto. His shroud receded. He was breathing heavily.'I'm still weak from that fight with Tobi.'thought Naruto. His friends breathed in were saved.

"About time you arrived" smiled sadly Neji. Naruto turned around and gave them all a reassuring smile. Shikamaru gestured towards Sakura. When Naruto looked turned his sight towards Sakura his heart broke.

There she was, his love, all covered in blood and barely holding on. Naruto narrowed his gaze towards Sasuke. If looks could kill, Sasuke right then and there would surely die a thousand times over.

" How low you have fallen Sasuke" said Naruto in a sad but firm voice. " She was in the way. She brought this upon herself." said Sasuke smugly.'I can't fight him right now, I'm exhausted and I can't fight and keep them safe at the same time' thought Naruto to himself.

He turned towards his friends. They were all tired and hurt. They could barely stand let alone put up a fight against Sasuke. He made his decision.

"Sasuke, leave, this is not the time and place for us to have our fight. Not yet" said Naruto surprising everyone present except Sasuke and Shikamaru and Ino who was still oblivious to the outside world.

"In one week,Naruto, in one week we fight. Meet me where it all started" said Sasuke while disappearing into the ground.

Naruto lowered his guard and turned around to face his friends. They were happy to see him, alive and unharmed. Naruto gave them a small sad smile in return. He started moving towards Sakura. He was a few inches away from her.

She was so small in his eyes, so weak, fragile. "Sakura-chan" he whispered. He got on his knees and took hold of her hand. This woke Ino. She looked up at him."Naruto" said a crying Ino."She's, she's"

She couldn't finish that sentence. She wouldn't. This can't be happening she thought to herself. Why her? It isn't fair. "It's okay Ino" whispered Sakura."It's okay. My time has come" croaked out Sakura.

Ino's tears just wouldn't stop falling. Her best friend was dying in her arms and there was nothing she could do. "Sakura-chan" whispered sadly Naruto. She turned towards him and gave him a small smile. "Hey baka" smiled Sakura. Naruto laughed sadly. "I screwed up again,huh. I'm still a burden to you and everyone." said Sakura.

"Don't say that Sakura, you were never a burden to me or everyone else. You are going to be alright, so please stop talking and let's get you some help." said an exhausted Naruto.

" No, this is as far as I go. My journey ends here." Said Sakura. She started coughing after that and spat a small amount of blood. Everyone tensed seeing this. They all knew it. This were Sakura's final words.

Ino took hold of her hand and squeezed tightly, showing her support and telling her she is there for her. Sakura recovered from here coughing fit and turned towards Ino.

"My best friend, rival. You were always there for me when I needed help. You were there for me when Sasuke left. You let me cry on your shoulders even though you were equally hurt by his departure. But you stayed strong for my sake. I thank you for everything you've done for me. You are the best friend anybody could hope to have in their life. I want you to find a man who is going to appreciate you for who you are and love you no matter what. Promise me that,Ino." Said a now smiling Sakura.

Ino didn't respond. She just squeezed her hand even more tightly and gave her a forced smile. That was all Sakura needed, no words were needed to be spoken. She turned her head towards Naruto who has started crying.

"Naruto." He looked at her."I'm sorry.I was never a good friend to you. You were always there for me, in bad and good. You were the pillar that kept me going. You gave me hope, hope of seeing Sasuke again. My only regret is that I couldn't return my love towards you. For that I am sorry." Said Sakura.

"It's okay Sakura-chan. I don't care anymore. As long as you were happy that was enough for me. " cried Naruto. Sakura smiled.

"Thank you Naruto. I hope you find happiness in life. You deserve it more than anyone." Sakura turned her gaze towards the sky.

It started to rain during their conversation. She could feel her strength leaving. It won't be long now." My dear friends. This is where we part way. This is my final wish to all of you. I want you all to get a family, have kids and live a peaceful life. I also want you to look after the baka here. God knows he needs a good ass-kicking once in awhile."

Everyone laughed at her joke. She smiled serenely and closed her eyes. She took one last breath and whispered just loud enough so that everyone could hear her." Goodbye" said a smiling Sakura. With that her body went limp.

Ino started crying even more and embraced her body, not letting her go. Naruto lowered his head and cried silently. Everyone bowed their heads, all crying, mourning for their lost friend, comrade, family. They stayed like this for an hour. Later on they returned to the base, Naruto carrying Sakura bridal style, Ino right beside him, holding Sakura's hand, while everyone else formed a circle around them.

When they arrived at the camp, Tsunade and other Kages were already waiting for them. When Tsunade saw Sakura's body, she nodded solemnly towards the group and lead them to a secluded tent.

Ninjas of all villages bowed their heads and showed their respect for the fallen ninja. They laid their body inside the tent and stayed with her through the night, saying goodbye for the last time.

In the morning she was given a proper burial, while all of the army stood there and mourned for her and all of the friends they lost. The rookies were there, giving each other support and shoulders to cry on.

Naruto looked at his friends and saw what hate can do to people. He swore on his blood, on his father and mother, on his Godfather, that he will end this once and for all. He turned around and started walking towards his tent to gather his equipment.

Ino looked at his retreating back. "Good luck" she whispered. She turned back and watched the fire. When the burial ended the Kages proposed a celebration for all the men and women who lost their lives defending their families and friends.

Everyone attended except Naruto. He was already moving towards his destiny. The rookies and Tsunade knew this and let him go. There was nothing they could do except believe in Naruto, the child of prophecy.

A week passed. The day of the battle has arrived. Sasuke and Naruto stood opposite each other just like 3 years ago. Both hardened warrior, legends of their own right. This was it. Everything would be decided here.

They clashed. The battle that ensued could be felt all around the world. The battle lasted for several hours. The victor was unknown. All of the rookies and their senseis and the Ichiraku couple stood by the gate of Konoha waiting for the return of their hero.

They stood there, not moving an inch for 2 days. 2 days later a figure could be seen moving towards the gate of Konoha. The figure was walking slowly, without a care in the world, a smile plastered on his face. His hair ruffling in the wind, his blue eyes shining peacefully. His shirt was torn, his pants were barely holding on but despite everything he still walked towards Konoha, smiling all the way.

When his friends saw him, they all ran towards him and tackled him on the ground, crying tears of happiness. He did it. He finally did it. Despite all odds he emerged victorious, just like always in his life. He rose from a boy who tried to survive on the streets to a man who brought peace to Elemental Nations.

They all laughed, finally free, with no worries. Tsunade approached Naruto. His friends let him go. Tsunade smiled at him and gave him a bone-crushing hug. She let him go after a few minutes and gave him a kiss on the forehead and said " Good job, gaki".

The rookies smiled at this show of affection, they all knew their Hokage saw Naruto as her son. They were family. They all were. A family of ninjas. They will stick by each other, forever, no matter what.

Kakashi gave him his patented eye-smile, Gai shouted something about Youth, Kurenai who was just about to pop gave him the biggest smile she could muster while rubbing her stomach.

Shikamaru decided to speak up and ask the question that plagued everybody's minds. "Naruto, what happened?" Naruto's smile turned into a sad one and answered. " If you all don't mind I would rather not talk about it right now."

They all understood. Even though he was lost in darkness, Sasuke was still his 'brother'. The man who acknowledged him and became his rival in life.

They couldn't imagine how painful it must have been, fighting against him knowing one of them would die. They nodded in understanding. He would tell them when he is ready.

At that moment Chouji's stomach grumbled, easing the tension that formed. They all started laughing, while Chouji just scratched his head in embarrassment. Tsunade proposed a feast to welcome the return of Hero of Konoha.

They all agreed while Tsunade went to inform the village of Naruto's return. The rookies decided to catch up and went to a nearby training ground. Kakashi offered to escort Kurenai to the hospital for her check up. She agreed and they went on their way. Gai decided to join them and was shouting Youth all the way to the hospital much to the irritation of Kakashi and Kurenai.

In the evening the whole village celebrated Naruto's return. Tsunade announced that this day will be a national holiday; for this is the day that Uzumaki Naruto brought peace to the world. The villagers and ninjas all agreed and gave a toast to their savior.

Naruto was smiling the whole time. His wish was finally granted. He was acknowledged by everyone. He was no longer the demon child but a ninja of Konoha.

PRESENT TIME(2 years later)""""""""

We can see a figure kneeling in front of the memorial was wearing the standard Jounin flack-jacket, black ANBU pants. He had a black head-band tied around his forehead. He also wore a red cloak over his figure with black flames decorating the bottom of the cloak. There was some writing written on the cloak. It said " Sage".

His hands were tracing over certain names. " Father, mother, Ero-sennin and Sakura" whispered the figure to himself. "I miss you all. I wish you could be here with me." The figure smiled.

At the same time someone else was walking towards the memorial stone, with a bouquet in her hands. She wore a purple top and a purple skirt that went down to her thighs. She had her headband tied around her neck.

That person was Yamanaka Ino. She was smiling while walking towards the memorial stone. When she got there she saw a figure there kneeling. She didn't know who the person was, she wasn't anyone that she recognized from the village.

All she saw was a red cloak and an inscription that said "Sage". 'No, it can't be him. Is that Naruto?' thought Ino. She started walking towards the unknown man. The figure noticed her and turned around.

Ino lost her breath. The man was definitely handsome. He had wild blonde hair, blue eyes, tanned skin and three whisker marks on each cheek. 'Wait…whiskers'."NARUTO" yelled Ino.

She ran towards him and enveloped him in a hug. The figure,Naruto, was a bit startled and surprised at first but composed himself and returned the hug. Ino was laughing into his chest and crying tears of joy. Her friend was finally back. After two years he finally came back.

She realized she was still hugging him and started blushing a bit and moved away from him. She hit him over the head yelling "Baka, where were you? You left without saying goodbye to us. Nobody knew where you went."

Naruto picked himself up from the ground and started scratching his head and laughed sheepishly.

"Sorry about that. It was kinda on short notice. I was training with the toads. I needed to complete my training just like Ero-sennin did."

Ino's anger subsided a bit."You could have at least send us a message or something. We were worried about you, idiot." Said now a bit more calm Ino.

" I guess I lost track of time. Sorry." Said Naruto while giving her his foxy grin.

Ino let out a breath. Who could stay mad while looking at that big goofy grin of his. " Once a baka always a baka." Said a smiling Ino.

"Hey, that hurt!" said Naruto while pouting. Ino just laughed at his expression. Naruto joined her after a few seconds. They laughed for a few moments, just enjoying each other's company.

After the laughter died down Naruto asked her "Who are you here for?"

"Asuma-sensei and Sakura. I come by here every month to bring fresh flowers for them."

Naruto nodded and made his way over to her and stood by and waited so that she finished praying. She stood after a few minutes." I can't believe 2 years have already passed. It all seems like it happened yesterday."

Said Ino solemnly. Naruto nodded and they just watched the stone in silence for a few moments.

Ino finally perked up and said "Alright that's enough of the depressing stuff, it's time for some fun. You, mister, are going to take me out for lunch and you are going to pay. Got it?" said Ino in a tone that said she won't take no for an answer.

Naruto smiled " Still as bossy as ever, huh Ino."

"That's right and you are still and idiot" responded a smiling Ino.

"Hehe, alright where do you want to go?" asked Naruto.

"Ichiraku!"shouted Ino. Naruto was surprised by her answer, he didn't know she liked ramen.

"Since when do you like ramen?" asked a confused Naruto. "Since you left. I can see why you enjoyed going there every day. The ramen is great, the stand has this homey feeling, and the owners are the nicest people I know." Responded Ino.

Naruto smiled at her, a true happy smile. " Ino liking ramen, I've seen it all now. Haha" laughed Naruto. Ino playfully smacked his arm and pouted.

"Sorry, I couldn't help myself" responded a grinning Naruto.

" Alright, Ichiraku it is. Hold on Ino. This might feel a bit weird." Said Naruto. Ino didn't have time to ponder on his word.

She was suddenly embraced by him and they flashed away a second later. When she opened her eyes she was in front of the Ichiraku stand.

She didn't even realize she was still holding on to Naruto, who was smiling down at her. When she woke up from her stupor she looked at him and saw a pair of blue orbs staring down at her. ' I could loose myself in those eyes' thought Ino who was blushing while looking up at him.

Naruto saw this and smirked. Ino shook her head and turned her head away trying to hide her blush but to no avail.

Naruto was smirking the entire time. Ino turned back and shouted "What!"

" You were blushing. Like what you see Ino?" teased Naruto. Ino's response was to blush even more but she recovered quickly and hit him over the head while yelling "Baka!"

She walked towards the stand while Naruto was trying to make sense of his surroundings.

She sat down on the stool and was momentarily joined by a still grinning Naruto. She let out a breath and yelled " Hey old man, I'm starving here"

You could hear someone coming from the back, cursing something about blondes interrupting him during his break. Naruto stood transfixed, watching the door.

The door opened and out came an old man in his fifties. " Blondie, that's the third time this week that you came during my break. You are killing me" said the old man while crossing his hands over his chest.

" Yeah, yeah just give me two Yamanaka special" said a smiling Ino. Ichiraku just grunted and turned towards the other customer.

He stood there and just observed the young customer. Then something finally clicked in his mind." Naruto?" asked Ichiraku. Naruto in response just unleashed his foxy grin and scratched his head.

"Naruto, it really is you. My boy, you came back. Where were you? We missed you. Hold on a second. AYAME! Get over here. You won't believe who is here." Yelled Ichiraku.

You could hear someone tripping over some pots and cursing. Out of the back came a young girl. "Dad this better be good, I was enjoying my break." Said an irritated girl.

" Look, look" pointed Ichiraku towards Naruto. When Ayame saw Naruto she shrieked in delight and jumped over the counter and enveloped Naruto in a hug.

Naruto was caught by surprise and fell of the stool. They landed in an awkward position with Ayame straddling him. Ichiraku grunted. Ayame realized what happened and got up quickly and blushed a bit.

Ino who was watching and saw them in that position felt something stirring in her stomach. She didn't know what it was, it was foreign for her. She put it out of her mind for now and just listened to the conversation between the three. They had a lot of catching up to do. "Alright Ayame, let's give Naruto a break. He just came back, he must be tired and hungry." Said Ichiraku.

"Sorry. Alright Naruto, what will you have?" asked a smiling Ayame.

" 10 Uzumaki specials, please." Answered a happy Naruto.

"Coming right up" With that the father and daughter duo went in the back to prepare the meals for the two customers.

Naruto turned towards Ino with a raised eyebrow. " Yamanaka special?"

"Yeah, I'm kinda a regular customer here. So we decided to name a dish after me." Grinned Ino.

"Man, it seems a lot has changed around here while I was gone. I can't wait to catch up with all my friends. What have you been up to Ino?" asked Naruto

. "Well, I made Jounin just like the rest of the rookies. I was offered to take a team but I declined. I took a job in the hospital. I'm the head psychiatrist. I help ninja and civilians deal with traumas and stuff like that. I still take an occasional mission so that I don't get rusty. What else? Hm, I was Tsunade's student for a year. She taught me a lot of medical techniques and Shizune showed me some stuff about poisons. I'm thinking about learning a new element. All I have right now is my clan techniques and the stuff I learned from Tsunade and Shizune. I want to branch out a bit, to have more versatile techniques. Just in case you know."

"That's great Ino. I'm happy for you. If you need help with the element I would be happy to give you a few pointers." Said Naruto.

"Thanks. I'll think about it. What about you? What changed with you? You must have gotten a lot stronger." Asked Ino. 'You certainly got handsomer' thought Ino.

"Well I mastered Wind, Water and Lightning element. I'm chuunin level in Fire and Earth. In a few months I will be a master in Sealing. I know some Kenjutsu. I've perfected my taijutsu. Genjutsu skills are still nonexistent. And that's pretty much it. I might have missed something."responded Naruto, pride evident in his voice.

Ino was shocked. "That's amazing Naruto. You did that in just 2 years. How? You need to be a genius to learn all that. Not just a genius, a freaking super genius." Responded a flabbergasted Ino.

Naruto laughed a bit. "Yeah, well having a fox sealed inside you has some benefits." Answered Naruto.

" Oh sorry, it must feel awkward talking about Kyuubi" said Ino in an apologizing voice.

"Nah, it's okay. I got over all that and so did Kyuubi. He is a good friend and a better partner. We worked out our differences during the war. Once you get to know the big furball he is kinda nice. Just don't tell anyone, he is kinda shy about that. He doesn't want his reputation to be ruined" said a grinning Naruto**.**

"**Watch it kid, I can still kick your ass"** grunted Kurama.

"Come on, it's just Ino. She won't tell anyone. I hope." The last part was whispered so that Kurama couldn't hear him.

"**I don't like it, but it's your ass on the line. But you certainly know how to pick em. That's one fine specimen of a woman you found there. And I've seen how you were looking at her; you can't deny you were checking her out."** Teased Kurama.

Naruto blushed."Shut up you oversized furball. She's just a friend. Now go back to sleep." Answered a blushing and irritated Naruto.

Kurama just laughed in response and fell back asleep. Ino was watching Naruto who blacked out for a second. His eyebrow was twitching and he was blushing. 'I wonder what's going on with him' thought Ino.

"Naruto? You in there? " asked Ino who moved closer to his face and waved her hand in front of his face.

Naruto opened his eyes and saw Ino dangerously close to his face. His blush deepened. He could feel hear breath against his face. It was so warm. Her eyes were beautiful, her lips so inviting.

Kurama started laughing in the background. That woke Naruto up from his daydreaming.

"Yeah, Ino, I'm alright" stuttered Naruto.

Ino was in the same situation as him. She was blushing profoundly. She didn't even realize that she was that close to his face. She quickly moved her face away from his and turned towards the counter. "I was having a talk with Kyuubi. He doesn't like it when I share stuff that involve him." Said Naruto who recovered a bit from the awkward situation.

" Oh, I thought you were thinking but then I realized that it is you and that you don't think, ever" responded Ino in a teasing manner. Naruto grunted and pouted and said something about bossy blondes.

While this was happening, Ayame was watching the two blondes conversing and saw them blushing and gained an evil smirk. 'Teasing time' thought an excited Ayame.

She walked out with their meals. "Here you go Naruto. Dad says it's on the house."

"Thanks Ayame-nechan" said Naruto. "And Yamanaka special for your girlfriend" teased Ayame.

Both blondes turned bright red at her remark. Naruto suddenly found his bowl very interesting and so did Ino. Ayame just laughed at their expressions and went back to help her father with the cooking.

They ate their meal in silence, not wanting to face each other after Ayame's teasing. When they finished their meals, Ino was going to pay for her meal but Naruto offered to pay as a thank you for a warm welcome and a good laugh.

Ino thanked him and smiled. 'Such a gentleman' thought Ino dreamily.

"Well it's been fun Ino. It's time I go see Tsunade and get my beating for leaving for 2 years" said a slightly nervous Naruto.

Ino laughed at his predicament. "Well, it serves you right, you big idiot" she gave him a hug and kissed him on the cheek and then quickly ran away to hide her blush.

She yelled "Thanks for the meal. We should do it again sometime" and then she was just a blur down the street.

Meanwhile Naruto was still in ecstasy from that hug and kiss. 'Wait, did she just say we should do it again? Nah, I must have heard her wrong, right?Right?'

Kurama was again heard laughing in the background. Naruto gained a tick mark on his forehead and clenched his fist while shouting in his mind at his laughing partner.

'Damn furball. Well I'm off to a good start. I wonder what else Konoha has in store for me.'

"Alright here we go, time to get my ass kicked" said Naruto while pumping his fist into the air.


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks everyone for reviewing and thanks for all the compliments and suggestions, I will take them into account I'm going to try and paragraph the story better so that it is easier to follow for everyone. As for why it is Naru/Ino it's because I hate Hinata, plain and simple ). She is too shy in my opinion, I like a girl who talks back and can form more than one sentence without fainting. Plus the loud ones are wild in the bedroom ;) Also Naru/hina is way overused; everywhere I look its either naru/hina or naru/sasu (shudders). Anyway here's the new chapter, hope you like it. Oh, I went back and fixed the first chapter a bit.

Disclaimer: Naruto is not owned by me

Hokage's office""""""

It was a day just like any other for the Fifth Hokage, Tsunade Senju. She was currently doing paperwork, the bane of her existence, and at the same time indulging herself with a bottle of sake. After the war things slowed down in the ninja world.

The villages have formed a permanent alliances with each other so the threat of another war is non- existent. Another good thing about this whole peace thing is less paperwork, considerably less.

It's been a good 2 years for the Fifth. The only thing missing is her ball of sunshine, her local knucklehead.

'Naruto. It's been 2 years already. You better come back soon or I will beat the shit out of you' thought Tsunade. She was unaware of a figure climbing her tower. She is in for a nasty surprise.

Couple of minutes before"""""""

Naruto was walking towards the Hokage tower. The people were looking at him and were wondering who this person was and why was he so familiar. The people who did recognize him bowed their heads in respect and gave him a happy smile.

Naruto responded with a small smile and with a slight bow of his head. ' Well this is new. People are genuinely happy to see me even after 2 years. And what's with the girls? They are acting weird.' Thought Naruto. You could see groups of girl talking to each other and occasionally taking a glance towards Naruto and giggling.

Naruto just gave them a small smile and continued his trek towards the tower. He was taking his time, enjoying in the scenery, taking in the sights of Konoha.' It has been too long. I missed this place. Glad to see Konoha recovered from Nagato's destruction.' Thought Naruto who was smiling the entire time.

Minutes later he could see the tower in his sight. A wave of nostalgia hit him. All the memories he experienced in that tower came rushing back. The time he spend with Jiji, Grandma, Shizune, Ero-sennin. Those were some of the best moments of his life.

'Yep, I definitely missed this place' thought Naruto.' I wonder what Bachan is doing. Probably drinking or sleeping, lazy old hag' smiled Naruto. An idea formed in his head and a grin spread across his face. 'Why use the front door when I can see use a play from Ero-sennin's book' schemed a grinning Naruto.

He used his Camouflage jutsu taught by Ero-sennin and started climbing the tower. He reached the window and saw Tsunade actually working.

'Now this is a pleasant surprise. Grandma is actually working' thought a surprised Naruto. She narrowed his gaze and saw a bottle of sake on the desk. ' No wonder she's working, she's probably drunk and isn't aware of what she's doing' thought Naruto.' Time to give her a heart attack and get my ass kicked' He took a deep breath.

"BACHAN" yelled Naruto. The effect was instantaneous. Tsunade spat all of her sake across the room, knocked over her table with all of her paperwork now lying on the floor and messed up. Her personal ANBU responded quickly and apperead in the room and were surprised with the scene. They could barely contain their laughter, you could hear a couple of snickers coming from their mouth. But they quickly stopped when they saw an angry Tsunade. The leader made the best choice of his career and ordered his squad to return to their hiding spots.

' I took me all morning to file this paper. I'm going to kill the man who did this.' Raged Tsunade in her mind. She turned around and was speechless.' Minato' thought Tsunade. 'Tsunade you are drunk again, seeing ghosts and it's not even 2 o'clock yet.' Thought a mildly drunk and confused Tsunade.

Naruto was laughing histerically on the windowsill. He was laughing and there were a few tears in his eyes. Too bad he didn't have a camera with him. That would make a perfect picture.

Tsunade recovered and saw a laughing blonde with whiskers sitting on her window.' That damn brat. Scaring me and then laughing at me. I'll show him' she smirked, thinking how she will get even with him. She walked towards him and picked him up his collar and grinned evilly.

Naruto stopped laughing and opened his eyes to come face to face with the murderous gaze of Tsunade.'Crap, here comes the pain.' He prepared himself for the pain that was coming.

Tsunade gathered all of her strength and flung him across the room where he impacted with the door and the wall behind it. The entire tower shook because of the impact. Chuunins, assistants were running amok, trying to catch the falling items and try to salvage what they could.

Naruto was desperately trying to remain conscious, but it was proving to be quite a difficult task. He eventually managed to recover from the atomic bomb he just received. ' Damn, she still packs quite a punch' thought Naruto who was holding his head trying to clear his dizziness.

Tsunade was tapping her foot in irritation and waited for Naruto to pick himself up." Is that how you greet someone after you haven't seen them for 2 years?" yelled an angry Tsunade." I swear, you are even worse than that old pervert."

Naruto just smiled in response and scratched his head and walked towards her." Hey, somebody has got to keep you in shape otherwise your old ass will get rusty and dusty." Said a grinning Naruto.

Tsunade moved towards him till they were only a couple of inches away from each other. She was glaring at him for a couple of moments but relented soon afterwards. She hugged him tightly, like a mother would.

Naruto hugged her back. He heard her whisper " Welcome back, gaki." " It's good to be back. I missed you all." Responded Naruto in a quiet manner. They stayed like that for a couple of seconds and then they separated and smiled to each other. Tsunade went back to her chair and picked up her desk and called for Shizune. Naruto sat down in front of her and waited for the questions that were coming.

"So, where were you? Your messenger toad wasn't very forthcoming with information. He only said you were training and nothing else" Questioned Tsunade. "I was completing my sage training with the toads. There was still a lot of things I had to learn. That took me about half a year. After that I focused on mastering my elements and I studied Sealing. I must say seals are very interesting. No wonder my father and mother enjoyed studying them." Responded Naruto with a faraway look, thinking about his parents.

Tsunade smiled at him, thinking how much he looked and acted like them. He definitely was their son. 'Minato, Kushina, you would be proud of the man he became' smiled Tsunade.

At that time Shizune came in throught the hole where the door once was. She saw the mess in the room and sighed deeply. ' I'm too old for this' thought a tired Shizune. She saw Tsunade talking with a person with a red cloak with black flames in the bottom. The figured turned around when he heard footsteps. Shizune's heart started beating happily. Her brother came back. A tear escaped her eyes and she smiled happily.

Naruto saw her and stoop up and went to her to give her a hug." Hello Shizune-nechan. I missed you." Said Naruto. Shizune just hugged him tighter. They separated a couple of moments later.

Shizune went to stand next to Tsunade who was smiling at their interaction." I'm sure you both have a lot of questions, so fire away" said Naruto who made himself comfortable in his chair.

They spend the next hour just chatting away, asking questions, and basically catching up the lost time.

Meanwhile"""""""

A certain blonde was skipping happily down the main street of Konoha. She had a huge smile on her face. People were looking at her funnily, thinking she's crazy or something. Ino paid them no mind. She was happy. Her friend came back, she had a lovely lunch with a handsome man and she is free from work today. She spotted someone walking down the street. It was one of her oldest friends and teammates.

"Shikamaru, Temari" yelled Ino. " woman " sighed Shikamaru. Temari elbowed him in the ribs. Shikamaru grumbled something about girlfriends and their heavy punches.

"Hey Ino. How you've been? You certainly look happy. What happened?" responded Temari with a small smile. Shikamaru just gave her a small wave and a smile. Ino and Temari formed a nice friendship when Temari moved to Konoha, when Shikamaru asked her to move in with her after 2 years of relationship. They spend a lot of afternoons together just chatting and gossiping, well Ino was doing the gossiping.

"Why wouldn't I be happy? I just had one of the best mornings of my life" said a smiling Ino. Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, his mind already working full speed. It was unusual seeing Ino so happy, sure she was always loud and smiled but not like this. This was different, very different.

" Oh, do tell" said an intrigued Temari. She was genuinely interested. Whatever she did, must have been great seeing she wore that big smile on her face.

" I just spend lunch with our local Sage" winked Ino. Temari made a confused face. Shikamaru smirked, he already connected all the pieces of the puzzle. There is only one Sage that could make Ino smile like that.

" Troublesome. I'm guessing the idiot is finally back,huh." Said Shikamaru lazily and with a small smile that showed he was happy to have his friend back. Ino nodded vigorously, her smile never leaving her face.

Temari realized who they were talking about after Shikamaru's idiot remark. There is only one idiot and a Sage in this village, Naruto.

" Naruto's finally back. He has a lot of explaining to do. Gaara and Kankuro will want to hear of this." Said Temari.

" Well I will leave that up to you. I'm actually of planning a gathering of the rookies to celebrate Naruto's return. Would you two come?" questioned Ino, who was still smiling. 'Man, her face must be hurting from all that stretching' thought the narrator.

"Of course, we would love to come. It's been a while since we've seen that baka. Right Shikamaru?" said Temari who gave Shikamaru a stern look saying he will definitely have to go. "Troublesome" was Shikamaru's defeated answer.

" Great. Let's meet up at 8 in the Akimichi barbeque shop. I will notify the others. I will also stop by Naruto's place to tell him about the meeting and 'persuade' him to join us. " said a smirking Ino. " Troublesome blondes" said Shikamaru.

" You certainly want to spend a lot of time with Naruto. He just came back and you are already planning the wedding." Said a laughing Temari. Ino slightly blushed after that remark and Shikamaru noticed it and smirked. ' Naruto, you certainly work fast' thought Shikamaru.

" Shut up. It's nothing like that. He is just a friend. Sure he's handsome and everything and has gorgeous blue eyes and those whiskers marks give him this feral look, but that doesn't mean I like him or anything." Said Ino, who didn't even realize that she started daydreaming about Naruto.

The couple just smirked and laughed a bit. "Sure Ino, whatever you say. " said a giggling Temari. Ino glared at the couple and muttered something about annoying couples, who think they know everything.

After that they separated and promised to meet up in the evening. Ino started walking towards Chouji's house to make a reservation and then she would notify the others.

Later on"""""""

Naruto was finished being interrogated by Tsunade and Shizune and said his goodbyes to the two saying that he is tired and wants to go to sleep. They nodded in understanding. They knew he must have been exhausted after all that training and questioning, not to mention from that super punch from Tsunade.

Naruto used the rooftops to get to his apartment faster and to avoid any interruptions. He was there in a couple of minutes. He opened the door and was surprised. He expected his room to be all dusty and messy but instead it was all clean and shiny and it smelled of flowers.

'I wonder who took care of my apartment' thought a confused Naruto. He noticed a picture on his nightstand. It was the picture of the old team 7, the picture which he broke before the war but someone fixed it. ' Someone must really care about me.' Thought Naruto.

He shrugged and put that thought of his mind for now, it wasn't important at the moment. What he needed right now was a long, hot shower. With his mind made up, he strolled towards his bathroom. He turned on the shower and waited for the right temperature so that It wasn't too cold or too hot. Satisfied, he took of his clothes and stepped in the shower. He could feel his body relaxing, all the tension and stress just washed away.

' I needed this.' Thought a relaxed Naruto.

In the street in front of Naruto's apartment""""""""""""

Ino was currently walking towards Naruto's apartment. She told her friends about the gathering to celebrate Naruto's return. They were all thrilled to hear of Naruto's return and couldn't wait to see him after such a long time. With her mission finished, all she needed to do right now was to tell the star of the show of their little gathering.

' He is probably still with Tsunade. I'll just leave him a message and hopefully that idiot will notice it.' Thought Ino. She climbed the stairs of Naruto's apartment building and walked towards his apartment. She took her spare key, which was given to her by Tsunade so that she could take care of his apartment during his absence. She inserted the key and turned it. There was a click, which signified that the door was now unlocked.

She entered, but she was not alone. At the same time another person stepped out of the apartment, wearing nothing but a small towel over his lower region. Ino blushed like never before. There before her stood a god among men, with a body that everyone would kill for. 'All those muscles, that perfect tan, that sweat…' drooled Ino.

Naruto was faring a bit better that Ino. He was startled at first when he saw her walk into his apartment. ' Thank god for this towel or this would certainly be a very awkward situation' thought a relieved Naruto. He saw that she was checking him up and that there was actually a bit of saliva gathering in her mouth. ' Haha, this is going to be fun. Payback time for that kiss' grinned Naruto

" Earth to Ino. Is anyone there?" said Naruto. Ino didn't respond and continued to stare at him. Naruto just smirked. " Come on Ino. I know I'm gorgeous but please show some restraint. You are practically undressing me with your eyes. Not that there is much to undress." Teased Naruto.

Ino snapped out of her staring and looked away so that she wasn't looking at him directly. " Don't flatter yourself. You ain't that special. I've seen better." Her statement would have more merit, if she wasn't still blushing and occasionally stealing quick glances to his body.

"Are you sure? I think I saw you droll a bit earlier. It's okay. I won't tell anyone. This will be our little secret" winked Naruto.

"Shut up, idiot. Don't just stand there. Get dressed already." Responded Ino while trying to give him a stern glare but it wasn't working.

Naruto laughed and turned towards his bedroom and put on some regular black T-shirt and some pants. He walked out and saw Ino sitting on his couch. ' Well, she's certainly made herself at home.' Thought Naruto. He didn't care, this is Ino after all. She doesn't ask, she just takes what she wants.

"So, what do you want Ino? Missed me already? Oh, how come you have a key to my apartment?" questioned Naruto.

Ino turned towards him and was disappointed to see Naruto fully dressed. Her show was ruined cried Ino in her mind.

"Don't push your luck. I just came by to tell we're having a gathering to welcome you back to the village. All of the rookies are coming. We are going to meet up at Akimichi's barbeque restaurant at 8. And no excuses, if you don't get there on time, I will come for you and drag you there myself." Glared Ino.

" Seriously? You didn't have to do that for me. I was going to pay everyone a visit tomorrow. But this is actually better. I'll be there, no doubt about that. You didn't answer my last question. Why do you have my key?" responded Naruto.

"Oh, Tsunade gave it to me one day. I asked her to give it to me so that I could clean your apartment. I didn't want you to come back home and sleep in a dirty apartment." Said Ino in a calm manner.

"I see. That was very nice of you. You've been doing a lot of nice things for me lately. First lunch, then this gathering and to top it all off you've been taking care of my apartment. I don't know what to say. I'll make it up to you. I promise" responded a mildly shocked and surprised Naruto.

' Why would Ino be this nice to me all of a sudden. We were never actually close. She certainly changed a lot' thought Naruto.

" It's okay. You don't have to do anything. You've already done enough for me, for all of us. You deserve a break once in awhile." Smiled Ino.

Naruto smiled back. This was nice to him. Nobody ever helped him and showed him this kind of kindness apart from Bachan, Ero-sennin and Jiji. It felt good, he felt warm.

"Anyway, my job is done. I need to go home and prepare for this evening. I will see you later in the evening. Take care Naruto. See ya. " said Ino who was already walking out of his apartment.

"Bye Ino. See ya" responded Naruto with a wave.' I guess I should also prepare and look in my closet what I have to wear.'

Later in the evening"""""""""Akimichi restaurant"""""""

"Where is that idiot?" questioned an irritated Kiba.

"Calm down Kiba. He's not late yet. He still has a couple of minutes. He knows what will happen if he will be late." Said Ino with an evil smirk.

"Troublesome blonde" said Nara lazily.

"What was that Shika, I couldn't hear you. Speak up." Said Ino with a glare.

"Alright everybody let's calm down. No reason to get angry with one another. I'm sure Naruto will come any minute now. Let's catch up in the meantime. It's been a while since we last gathered like this." Said Neji in his stoic manner.

They spend the next few minutes waiting for Naruto, chatting and joking around.

8 p.m sharp the door to the restaurant opened and in came Naruto.

He wore a black muscle T-shirt, with some blue swirls covering the edges of the shirt. He wore simple black with some hint of red shinobi pants. His headband was tied around his shoulder allowing his hair to fall down freely across his forehead. All in all he looked good judging by the looks he was receiving from the female patrons in the restaurant.

"Hey guys. Long time no see." Said Naruto using his foxy grin to avoid any beating for leaving for 2 years.

"Naruto" They all yelled. They stood up and went towards him to properly greet him, using man hugs and for the girls some awkward hugs.

"How you've been man. You certainly had us worried. If it weren't for Tsunade telling us you were training we would have sent out a search party for you. Idiot. Next time leave a message." Growled Kiba in the end, but there was no malice in the end just playfulness.

They all took a seat so that they can more comfortable while they talk. Naruto took the seat between Ino and Chouji. Across from him were seated Shikamaru, Temari, who was leaning on his shoulder and Shino.

To the right side of the table were Lee, who was barely containing his youthfulness, Neji and Tenten, who seem to be very comfortable with each other.

On the left side were Kiba, Hinata, who Naruto noticed wasn't as shy as before. She was still blushing mind you, but not as much as before. With them was also Sai, who was smiling and not his fake smile but his real smile. Just another person who was changed by the Child of Prophecy.

" Yeah, sorry about that. Everything happened so quickly. I came home from that war celebration and next thing I knew I was summoned to the realm of the toads. They told me that my training wasn't finished and that this is a path that all Sages of the Toads need to take." Responded Naruto with a tinge of regret in his voice for leaving his friends without a proper goodbye.

" Typical. Whenever you leave it's because of training. The training trip with Lord Jiraiya, the mission to get Tsunade, the mission to conquer your Bijuu and now this. Will you ever stop trying? You know, it's hard for us mortals to keep up with you." Responded Kiba in a fake hurt manner.

"Haha. I can't help it. Training is relaxing and fun for me. It' s not my problem you can't keep up, mut." Said Naruto with a smirk on his face. The two friends glared at each other, but it lacked the aggression.

They relented a few moments later and just laughed, while others joined them.

" Anyway it's good to have you back. Gaara and Kankuro will be thrilled to hear of your return. You were sorely missed. This place needed some colour back. It was getting kinda boring and this lazy idiot wasn't any better." Said Temari while sending a glare to Shikamaru who just shrugged his shoulder and let out a sigh.

"Thanks Temari. I'm guessing you two finally got together, huh. It's about time, if you ask me. You certainly were stubborn about this whole relationship thing." Said Naruto in a happy tone.

"Yeah. It's been 2 years now. We realized after the war that pretty much anything can happen so we went for it. After a year, Shikamaru asked me to move to Konoha. With some negotiation with Gaara, I was assigned as a permanent Ambassador for Konoha. Yep, life has been great so far. How about you, seeing someone or have you found her already?" said Temari while sending a look towards Ino which Naruto caught.

He blushed and tensed a bit but nobody noticed except Shikamaru, Shino and Neji. They looked at each other and smiled. Well Shino just raised his eyebrow.

Ino was in the same position. She was finding her lap very interesting and she was fidgeting a bit.

Lee, who was going to explode, because of all the pent up youthfulness decided to shout his opinion.

"Yosh Naruto-kun, your fire of youth is burning as bright as ever. I would love to test my youth against yours. If I lose I'm going to run around Konoha 1000 times and if I can't finish…" yelled Lee in his normal manner.

They tuned him out for the time being, at least until he stops describing his ridiculous training. Naruto and Ino were just glad to change the subject.

" That's great Lee. I would love to spar against you." Responded Naruto with a kind smile directed towards his energetic friend. Lee responded with an equal smile.

" Anyway guys, I'm dying to know what you've been up to. Judging by Ino's fantastic progress, I can't wait to hear of your exploits." Said Naruto. Ino blushed slightly at his subtle compliment but she recovered fast.

" I'll go first" interject Kiba. "I'm a Jounin. I'm in charge of my own tracker team. My team is one of the best in the village just behind my sister's. And I'm dating the prettiest girl in the village." With that he gently squeezed Hinata's hand and gave her a loving smile.

Naruto looked at them and saw the love. He would still have to talk to Hinata about the whole confession thing. But that can come later.

"I'm happy for you guys. You deserve it. " smiled Naruto.

"Ano, I'm a Jounin and I'm helping in the hospital. I'm helping them with the studies about healing creams and lotions. I'm also helping my sister,Hanabi, become a good Clan Head." Said Hinata with a slight stutter in her voice.

Naruto smiled at her and gave her a compliment.

Sai went next. "I'm the leader of the Root program which Tsunade approved. We are collaborating with her and her ANBU . I made some changes to the program. I moulded it after the ANBU but still retained some of the features from before. " said Sai with a small smile.

" Wow. Not bad Sai. Always knew you had it in ya. " said Naruto with pride.

"Thanks dickless." Teased Sai. Naruto gave him a hard look and glared at him. Everyone just laughed at their bickering. Some things never change, they all thought.

" Since I already talked about myself, I think Nara here would love to pick things up. Right Nara?" said Temari while sending some motivation towards Shikamaru ribs.

"Troublesome. I'm a Jounin and I help dad in the Intelligence and Strategy department. And I have to take care of a troublesome girlfriend." Responded Shikamaru.

"Oh, shut up. You know you love me, you big oaf." Said Temari while giving him a kiss on the cheek. Everyone smiled at their affection. They certainly are a weird couple thought the Rookies.

Chouji went up next, who was no longer fat as before. He was still rough around the edges but much better than before.

" I'm also a Jounin and I'm in charge of my own Gennin team. They are a lively little bunch. They bicker a lot but they've got potential. My dad also started to train me to become the Clan head. He thinks I'll be ready in a few years. I'm also dating someone but that's a secret for now." Said Chouji.

"Damn Chouji. That's a lot to take in. You certainly were busy." Smiled Naruto.

"Thanks man. We all can't be heroes so we've got content ourselves with normal, mortal stuff." Said Chouji with a smirk. The others joined him.

"Haha, very funny Chouji. You are all heroes in my eyes, you know that." Smiled Naruto. They gave him a smile in return. It's nice to be appreciated.

"Yosh, my turn. I'm also a Jounin and have my own team. They are all shinning with the power of youth." yelled Lee, prideful of his team. Naruto smiled and told him he would love to meet his team.

Shino decided to end his quiet time.

"Hello Naruto. I'm also a Jounin and a poison specialist. Tsunade founded a new department for Poison research and put the Aburame clan in charge. My father is the head of the department and I'm his assistant and next in line to take charge." Shino said in a stoic manner.

"Phew Shino. Busy as a bee, huh." Smirked Naruto. Shino nodded at his little joke.

Tenten took charge.

"I'm a Jounin also. I'm the leading Weapon specialist in the village. But I'm not like the rest of these maniacs. I took a job in the Academy to teach kids the value and importance of weapons. I like the simple things in life." Said Tenten with a bit sadness, because of not achieving as much as her other peers.

" Tenten that's awesome. I always respected teachers ever since I met Iruka-sensei. Don't sell yourself short. What you've achieved is nothing to snort at. You should be proud of yourself. I know I am." Said Naruto with a big smile.

Tenten brightened and thanked him for the show of confidence. Neji took hold of her hand and smiled at her. Naruto noticed this.

"Another couple, huh. I'm away for 2 years and you are all paired up." Said Naruto.

"Well not everyone. Ino is still free. " teased Temari.

"Shut up, you big blonde bimbo." Blushed and glared Ino.

" Hahaha" Naruto just laughed at their bickering and so did others. Naruto saw that there was no anger present in their arguing. The others were used to this and they knew they were good friends.

" Well I guess I'm last. You know what they say. Keep the best for last. " joked Neji.

"Holy shit. Did Neji just make a joke?" shouted a shocked Naruto. Others just laughed at his expression. They' ve gotten used to the new Neji.

"Shut up. I wasn't that bad before." Said Neji in a hurt manner, but was still smiling.

" Yes you were. Remember, you had that huge stick in your ass." Smirked Naruto

The table started shaking, because of the laughter.

"He has a point Neji. You were pretty stuck up." Said Kiba still snickering. Others nodded in approval.

"Yeah, yeah. That's in the past now. Anyway, I'm a Jounin and the head of the Branch family. I'm helping Hinata teach Hanabi how to run a clan. I must say. Hanabi will make a great Clan Head. Ever since she started hanging around with Konohamaru, she certainly changed. She mellowed out and became more humble, good qualities for a leader to have." Said Neji.

"Konohamaru, huh. That sounds like him. I wonder what he did?" said Naruto.

" I must say guys. You've blown me away with your achievements. I proud of all you guys. It looks like I have to catch up to all of you, huh. I'm still a measly Gennin." Said Naruto hurt by his rank.

Ino raised an eyebrow. 'I thought he was Jounin, since he wore a Jounin jacket.' She filed that away for later.

His friends laughed at his predicament.

"Haha, the Hero of Konoha and Elemental Nations still a Gennin. That's just priceless." Laughed Kiba.

"Bite me, mut" responded Naruto with a friendly glare.

They laughed for a couple of moments.

"So, I'm sure we've all been dying to find out about your training. So, fire away Naruto. " said Neji after he calmed down. Others nodded and payed close attention on his next words.

Naruto told them all about what he did, his training with the toads, training his elements and seals. To say they were shocked would be an understatement. They knew he would get stronger, but this was insane. Nobody could improve that much in such a short time.

But then again, this is Naruto we're talking about. He makes the impossible possible.

With that the evening ended. They each went their own way. The last ones there were Temari, Shikamaru and Ino, Naruto.

" It's time to go Shika. I'm tired." Said a tired Temari. Shikamaru nodded and took her hand. They waved at their friend and said goodbye.

" Well, I guess it's just you and me, huh Ino." Said Naruto. Ino smiled.

" Let me walk you home. It's been a long day."

"Thanks, Ino. I appreciate it."

They walked towards her home in a blissful silence. Ino decided to ask a question.

"Hey Naruto."

"Hm." Humed Naruto.

"You said you weren't Jounin. Then how come you were wearing a Jounin flak jacket?" Questioned Ino.

" Oh. That wasn't my jacket. It was a memento from my father. It's one of the few things I have left that remind me of him. " said Naruto who had a small smile on his face.

"You know who your parents are?" said a shocked Ino. Naruto nodded.

" Yes. I knew for awhile now. I found out before the war actually." Said Naruto.

"Seriously. How come you never told us? Don't you trust us?" questioned Ino slightly hurt by his decision.

"Of course I trust. I trust you with my life. But it was too risky back then. My heritage would bring more harm than good. So I kept it for myself until everything settled down." Responded Naruto hastily, not wanting to offend and anger Ino.

" Well, everything settled down now. I'm all ears." Smirked Ino.

"Now, where's the fun in that. Let's make a game out of it. If you manage to find out the identity of at least one of my parents I will teach you one of my techniques. The time limit is 1 week. If you lose I get to… You know what let's keep it a surprise. I promise it won't be something perverted and you can always say NO if you don't like my idea." Said Naruto.

Ino pouted, because she really wanted to know about his parents. But she would contend herself with a little game. ' I mean, how hard can it be to find out about his parents' thought Ino. If you only knew Ino.

"I don't like it but okay. If you say so." Said Ino.

"Great. There are no rules. You can use whatever means necessary to find the necessary information." Said Naruto.

Ino nodded, liking the sound of that.

They were so engrossed in their conversation, they didn't even realize they were standing in front of Ino's house.

"Well this is it. I'll see you later Ino. Sweet dreams." Said Naruto.

"Likewise Naruto. And thank you for walking me home. That was sweet of you." Said Ino who gave him a small hug. She turned towards her house. She turned back and saw Naruto still standing at the same spot, stunned because of the hug. She smiled at him and went inside.

" Man. She's hugging me a lot lately." Said Naruto with a smile. With that he started walking back towards his home, reminiscing about today's events. He couldn't help but think if every day is going to be so good.

And that's a wrap. Next chapter some training, Ino searching for information,basically the development of their relationship.


	3. Chapter 3

Hey guys, another chapter is up and kicking. I wanna thank you all for reviewing and basically following this story. It means a lot to me :)) I'm also planning another story but that one will be much bigger in length and more action packed and won't come out for at least a week or two. That's it from the author, enjoy the chapter.

Disclaimer: Naruto is still eluding my possession.

It was 5 am in the morning. Normally people wouldn't even dream of thinking of getting up at that time. Sadly one particular ninja didn't have a choice in the matter. The reason, one alarm clock from the deepest pits of hell was ringing out of control.

"WHAT THE HELL" shouted Naruto, the alarm scared the BEJESUS( something I heard in Top Gear) out of him.

" Who the hell set up my alarm to beep at 5 AM in the morning. I'm going to kill that idiot. Whoever he is, he's a walking dead man." Yelled in irritation Naruto, who was in the process of picking himself up from the floor of his apartment.

He walked towards his nightstand where the clock was, while rubbing his temples trying to clear all the morning fogginess. He saw a note behind it.

" Dear gaki, this is payback for before. Love Bachan." Said the note.

" Damn, I just got pranked by a 50 year old woman. I'm losing my touch. You may have won this battle Bachan, but the war will be won by me, dattebayo." Vowed Naruto.

He proceeded to Rasengan the clock repeatedly so that this never happens again.

He sighed. "There's no way I'll be able to go back to sleep now. I might as well make the most of it. Ramen time." Mused Naruto who pumped his fist in the air at his end remark but immediately regretted doing that, because the fogginess returned full force.

"But first, a long and relaxing shower." With that he strolled towards his bathroom to take a well deserved shower. After 20 minutes or so he came out of the steamy shower and changed into his ninja clothes. With that he left towards his destination.

"Ichiraku, here I come". He was nothing but a blur while jumping across rooftops towards his destination.

ICHIRAKU"""" a few seconds later

An old man could be seen yawning behind the counter, trying to wake himself up. The man, in his old age, wanted nothing more than to pass on his restaurant to his daughter but alas that was just a wish. His daughter while extremely capable is still just one man, eh woman. And that is not enough to run this place, especially now when the black hole a.k.a Naruto returned.

Let it also be known that Ichiraku doesn't like to be scared shitless. As would be seen in a couple of moments.

"OLD MAN" yelled Naruto at the top of his lungs.

And then it happened. It all happened so suddenly. The knife appeared out of nowhere, seriously it's like it came from the heavens themselves to aid their owner. Next thing Naruto knew something was flying past his head, inches away from his eyes. If it weren't for his insane reflexes, he wouldn't be ablo to see the finer things in life, like Ino's firm ass and long legs. 'Hmmmm, me like' thought both the narrator and Naruto.

'Note to self, don't EVER scare old man again.' Thought a very scared Naruto.

"Naruto, don't ever scare me like that again. I think I had a small heart attack." Said a painting Ichiraku, who had a hand over his heart area.

"Sorry, sorry. I didn't mean to, I swear. Please, don't throw any knives, please. " said a pleading Naruto.

" Oh, sorry about that. Reflex I guess." Said an embarrassed Ichiraku, who took a play from Naruto's book and scratched his head in a very Naruto like manner.

" Reflex my ass. Not even seasoned ninjas have that kind of reflexes. Seriously, you are like a demon in disguise." Smirked Naruto playfully.

"Haha, very funny. Laugh all you want, I'm still the one that decides if you get any ramen or not." Grinned Ichiraku.

" Please don't take away my ramen. Don't take away the nectar from gods. I'll do anything, PLEASE" begged Naruto who got an all four and bowed his head in submission.

Ichiraku just laughed at his response. ' Ah, I missed this' thought the bemused old man.

" Settle down. While I would like to punish you, this place still needs money to operate and you do contribute a lot of it. So all is forgiven, for now." Said the old man, who was pleased with his witty remarks. ' Yup, still got it'

" Thanks old man. Now bring me my drug. 5 Miso ramens please." Said a now smiling Naruto, happy to escape Old man's judgment.

With that the old man excused himself and went to work. His place took an also yawning Ayame. She's clearly not a morning person, judging from the state of her hair.

"Morning Neechan. Sleep well?" teased Naruto.

Ayame just flipped him the bird and sat down on the stool behind the counter and proceeded to fix her hair.

Awhile later she finished her morning routine and started chatting with Naruto.

" No girlfriend today. What happened? Did you do something to piss her off after 24 hours?" teased Ayame.

"She's not my girlfriend" yelled Naruto.

"Seriously! People need to stop saying that. We've just happened to have met at the memorial and went to lunch together. No big deal. Friends do that, you know. So what if she saw me naked, that was an accident." Said Naruto who realized his slip up and quickly put a hand over his mouth,while blushing.

"OH? Naked, you say. You certainly work fast, Naruto. Never thought you were such a ladies' man." Giggled Ayame.

" Oh, shut up. I had a towel protecting my manhood." Grumbled Naruto.

Ayame just continued to giggle which caused Naruto to give her one of his brotherly glares.

" You know, one day I will pay you back for all of your teasing. As soon as I find out that you are seeing someone, all hell will break loose. And that's a promise, dattebayo." Vovew Naruto.

That shut Ayame up. She was seeing someone, but they were keeping it a secret for now. ' Oh man, I had to go overboard with the teasing. I hope he forgets about this whole thing. Ah, who am I kidding, this is Naruto, of course he won't forget' thought Ayame who was regretting her actions, but not for long. ' Still, it was worth it'

" Yeah, yeah keep dreaming Naruto." Responded Ayame quickly. She went to the kitchen to get Naruto's dosage of ramen.

The duo returned and talked with Naruto about his plans now that he's back in the village. He said, he'll just go with the flow. One thing he will definitely have to do is become a freaking Jounin. Can't stay Gennin for life,you know.

With that he bid the duo goodbye.

" Well, time to burn of these calories. Some light training should do the trick" said Naruto to himself.

He went towards his favorite training ground, the one he and his perverted master used to use.

The Perverted Training Ground""""""""

As soon as he arrived, a wave of memories attacked his mind. The time when the pervert taught him how to water walk and summon. When they used to spar together, laugh together, eat the frozen popsicles or when he yelled at him for peeping on women at the waterfall.

'Ah, good times. I hope you are happy where ever you are, Ero-sennin.' Said Naruto who looked up to see a bright blue sky and saw a smiling Jiraiya looking down at him. He closed his eyes and smiled back and stood there for a few moments just letting the wind circle around him.

" Alright, time to sweat." He proceeded to do some light jogging and some strength excercises.

After that he focused on his elements. He made a hundred clones and divided them into 4 groups of 25. Each group would either take Fire, Water, Earth or Lightning to practice elemental manipulation while the original one would tackle Wind.

"I've already mastered Wind but there is a level beyond that. Kakashi told me once that there were some users who could control the air flow with their chakra. Well time to test that" said Naruto who took a lotus position on the ground and started to focus.

If someone were to be passing by, they would see a bunch of Naruto's practicing the elements. Some would be burning down trees with their chakra, some would form whirlpools on the lake,others trying to make a boulder and some trying to create small sparks of lightning on their fingers.

There would also be a lone Naruto meditating and be surrounded by a small twister.

Truly a remarkable sight.

After an hour or two Naruto finished with his light training, yes that was light.

There was some progress but not as much as he would like but still Konoha wasn't built overnight. He has time.

He decided to go back to the village and visit Bachan and see what's she's doing or visit some of his friends. 'Kakashi, maybe. I haven't seen him since I returned. I wonder what that pervert's doing' thought Naruto.

While he was jogging back to the village, he heard someone yell out in frustration obviously displeased with something. The sound was coming from one of the nearby training grounds. The ever nosy Naruto decided to investigate.

When he arrived there he saw a young blonde yelling at a leaf in her hands. He heard only bits of what she was saying like "Stupid" or "Why won't you work" or his favorite " Bite me". He snickered a bit and laughed at her frustration but decided to end her misery and help her out a bit.

He jumped down from the tree and walked towards her.

"Hey Ino" yelled Naruto. Ino was still yelling at the leaf but stopped when she heard Naruto's voice.

"Naruto? What are you doing here? Are you following me? " teased Ino.

" You wish." Smirked Naruto.

Ino pouted and turned away from his, faking hurt at his remark.

" Haha, you lost again Ino, sorry. But seriously, I was training nearby and I was returning to the village and I heard you yell at someone or something in your case. Seriously Ino, you've got a big set of lungs on you. I could hear you a mile away. You should use that and make your own personal Jutsu like The Screaming Jutsu. Man, imagine that. That would certainly be ranked as an S-ranked Jutsu." Laughed Naruto.

Ino hit him over the head using a small amount of chakra in her fist, just enough for him to stop laughing. She tapped her foot in frustration and glared at him while he was trying to pick himself up from her haymaker.

" Now is not the time to be charming Naruto. I'm losing my mind here. I've been doing this exercise for over an hour now and still nothing. It's like this damn leaf hates me or something." Growled Ino.

Naruto who recovered from the Smash from Hell said " Maybe I can help. Just tell what you want to do and maybe I can give you a few pointers." Offered Naruto.

"Really? You would do that?" questioned Ino, happy for his offer.

" Of course. I told you yesterday. If you need help with anything just use your newly named Screaming Jutsu and I'll come by running" said Naruto playfully.

" Shut up, idiot. I'm not that loud." Said Ino while pouting.

" But I do need some help. This thing is bugging the hell out of me. I found that I have a Water affinity and found a book where it says that the first exercise is to try and soak a leaf. It said I need to be silent and deadly just like water to perform this exercise, whatever that means. I've been trying this for an hour now but still no progress. I'm considering venting out my anger on something but this leaf won't do. I need a live target for that." Said Ino who grinned evilly in the end while looking at Naruto to see a red dot on his forehead and TARGET written over his head.

Naruto saw her look and thought of a quick getaway. He decided to distract her for the time being by helping her. Hopefully her anger will fade away.

"Uh, I can help you with that Ino." Responded Naruto with haste. Ino perked up at his response, her anger forgotten for the moment. "I've been in the same situation as you. I did this exercise while I was with the toads. Man, I must tell you, the exercise was a pain in the ass for me. It took quite some time to finish it." Said Naruto, reminiscing about his training.

"Well? How did you do it? Don't make me wait, idiot." Snapped Ino, desperately needing an answer.

" Alright Ino, no need to blow a gasket. The elder toad told me in order to complete this exercise you need to think like water, be water. I was like, WHAT?" This earned a laughter from Ino.

" Yeah that sounds like you, all muscle but no brains." Quipped Ino.

" Yeah, yeah moving on. As I was saying, you need to relax. The secret to this exercise is to remain calm and let the chakra flow through your body to your hand. Envelop the leaf, calm the leaf in a manner. When you do that, explode. Use all your chakra you can and speed up the process of enveloping the leaf. Here, let me show you. " Naruto demonstrated her on how to do it. A second later, the leaf was drenched in water.

Ino was astounded. What she was trying to do for the past hour, was done in a second.

'Wow, he's good.' Thought Ino with a renewed vigor.

Ino got to work. Naruto's voice was resonating in her head, guiding her. 'Okay, Ino, remain calm. Think of something peaceful' thought Ino. Images of Naruto's laughter and smile appeared in Ino's mind. ' Not that, idiot. Find something different.'

A clearing full of flowers came next.' Ah that's better'. But then Naruto could be seen running towards her carrying flowers in his lap. Ino sighed internally. ' This is going to take a while.'

Naruto was watching her focus, trying hard to complete this hellish exercise. ' She looks cute when she's focusing' thought Naruto but quickly shook those thoughts out of his mind. 'Bad Naruto' berated Naruto himself.

He saw that this is going to take a while so he suggested to Ino that she takes a set near the lake to help her calm down and at the same time find inspiration by listening to the sound of water.

She nodded and they both took a set near the edge of the lake. Ino took a leaf into her hands again and restarted on the exercise.

Naruto was bored. He couldn't look at Ino, because he would get certain images in his head so he was looking around the area finding nothing of interest.

He turned back towards the lake and got an idea. He smirked.

He stood up silently and walked into the lake till he was knee deep in the water. He prepared himself.

"Hey Ino" said Naruto with a hidden mirth.

Ino opened her eyes and saw Naruto crouching with his hands in the water. ' He wouldn't' thought Ino.

But he would. Naruto moved his hands and splashed water all over Ino's body. Ino yelled in surprise.

'How dare he. I'll show him' thought an angry Ino. ' Nobody messes with a Yamanak and gets away with it'

She tackled him and they fell into the water with Ino on top of him. Underwater, Naruto could be seen smiling, his idea worked. Ino took the bait. Ino was also smiling. She didn't know why but she couldn't stay mad at Naruto for long.

They emerged a couple of moments later, still laughing.

" Sorry, I couldn't help myself. But hey it worked. You are more relaxed and calm now, right?" said Naruto through his laughter.

Ino who was laughing had to admit he was right. This certainly helped with her tension.

" You are such an idiot Naruto but thank you. I do feel better now. But don't think you can do this every time you know. Next time, there would be hell to ?" grinned Ino.

Naruto gulped and nodded furiously not wanting to anger the blonde.

"Yes ma'am" saluted Naruto.

"Good" said Ino.

"Hold on Ino, let me do something about our clothes." Said Naruto. Ino didn't have time to ponder on his words, she was suddenly attacked a by small gust of warm wind which felt damn good in her opinion.

A few moments later they were dry and warm. She thanked him for his help. With that she went back to work. Naruto took a seat by her side and watched her try to perform th exercise. They stayed like that for an hour with Naruto giving Ino tips and Ino trying to soak the leaf.

At the end of the training session Ino managed to partially wet the leaf. It wasn't much but it was progress. Ino thanked him for the help saying she will pay him back somehow.

"No need Ino. You've done enough in the last 2 days to last a lifetime." Responded Naruto with kind smile showing appreciation for everything she's done for him.

Ino smiled in just sat there for a while striking a conversation. Ino wanted to use this opportunity to find out something about his parents.

"Naruto. What were your parents like?" questioned Ino in a humble tone, not wanting to bring out any bad memories.

Naruto smiled and looked up at the sky. "They were everything I could ever hope for in a parent. They were heroes in every sense of the word. They sacrificed their lives in order for me to live. They did it without hesitation proving how much they loved me." Said Naruto with a sad smile and a few tears escaping his eyes.

Ino smiled at him and also shed a few tears at his story. She took his hand and squeezed it gently, showing her support and telling him it's okay.

Naruto nodded in appreciation.

" So did that answer your question Ino? Any closer on finding out who they are?" quipped Naruto with a grin on his face.

"Well, it's a start. I'm still nowhere close to finding out but I've got time. I'll just follow the clues and solve the puzzle. No problem!" exclaimed Ino.

"Good. I'm looking forward to next week." Responded Naruto. Ino smiled and nodded.

"So, do you have any plans for the afternoon?" questioned Ino.

" Not really. I was thinking of visiting Kakashi. I haven't seen him since I returned. I want to see what he's been up to while I was gone." Said Naruto.

" Oh. Well usually he's at Kurenai's house in the morning helping with the baby." Said Ino.

Naruto raised an eyebrow obviously surprised.

"Huh? You mean Kakashi, the pervert, spending time with Kurenai, the pervert hater?" said a surprised but amused Naruto.

" Haha, yeah. Ever since the war, Kakashi's been helping out with all the baby stuff. It's actually very sweet of him. I know Kurenai's very grateful for his help. And so am I. Kurenai needs all the help she can get. Being a single mother is a tough job. She needs some alone time for herself. Although I have suspicions about the two, they've been very comfortable with each other lately." Said Ino with a narrowed gaze in the end not liking the idea of not knowing something juicy.

" Man. Kakashi, a babysitter. How about that?" smirked Naruto.

"What about his reading habits? I'm pretty sure Kurenai doesn't like the idea of a pervert being near her baby?" questioned an interested Naruto.

" Oh, you don't have to worry about that. She took care of that early on. You should have seen Kakashi's punishment when he walked in one day with his book in his hands while the baby was in Kurenai's hands. She used a Yaoi Genjutsu on him. Kakashi didn't stop twitching for a week. After that he only reads that stuff when he is alone and nowhere near Kurenai." Answered an amused Ino, who could barely contain her laugher while remembering that particular event.

Naruto joined her. He could already see the scene playing in his head.' Man I wish I've been there to see that' thought Naruto clearly amused at Kakashi's situation.

" If you want we can go there together. I wanted to visit Kurenai for awhile now. You should see her son. It's the cutest little thing, he looks just like his father." Smiled Ino.

" Man, you must really like the little bugger. " remarked Naruto with a smile.

" I do. And you will to, trust me. Just one laugh from him and you will be his slave forever." Winked Ino.

Naruto laughed. "Alright, lead the way to my new master." Teased Naruto.

They walked back towards the village and towards Kurenai's house while chatting about random things that happened during the 2 years that he was gone. Ino tried to gain additional information about his parents but Naruto wouldn't give any conclusive answers.

Kurenai's house"""""""""""

Kurenai was in the process of making a late breakfast. She had the luxury to sleep in a bit today courtesy of her now regular guest Hatake Kakashi. Some would wonder what is an A-class ninja doing at 10 AM in the morning taking care of some kid that isn't even his own. And so did Kurenai frankly.

' The change happened so fast. One day we are nothing more than acquaintances the next he's volunteering to watch little Asuma.' Mused Kurenai. ' It must be the war. This was his second. Perhaps he realized something during the war.' Thought Kurenai.

But she decided not to squander this gift from the heavens and just go with the flow. She liked his company. When he is with her and Asuma Jr. it's like he's a different person. He is no longer the ninja that strikes fear into the enemy's hearts but a thoughtful friend.

In the last 2 years or so she got to met the real Kakashi. Kakashi who went through 2 wars, who lost both of his teammates and his sensei. Kakashi who lost his father at an early age. And she has to admit, she likes this Kakashi.

She found out that he can be quite loving, kind and sincere when he wants to be. They spend a lot of time together actually. They had lunch together regularly and sometimes even dinner. Breakfast was a regular thing. She can't even remember when he wasn't over for breakfast.

' And those late night walks around the village' sighed Kurenai dreamily. ' Wow, don't go down that lane Kurenai.' Thought Kurenai to herself. ' Can't start dreaming about Kakashi now, can we? Right?' thought an insure Kurenai.

To be honest with herself, she wouldn't mind going out with Kakashi. She likes his company, he's thoughtful, great with Asuma Jr., he makes her laugh. What more could she possibly want?

Kurenai sighed. ' I need a second opinion.' Thought Kurenai.

She was woken up from her thinking by a knock on the door. ' I wonder who that is' thought Kurenai.

She went to open door passing by Kakashi who was keeping little Asuma company and playing with him with some cubes.

Kurenai opened the door and saw twins. Seriously, they look so much alike.

"Ino. What a surprise! I haven't seen you in a while." Said a surprised Kurenai, while in the process of hugging Ino.

"Yeah, sorry about that. Work was killing me. I had to work double shifts because some staff members took vacations. But it's over now so I decided to visit my favorite nephew." Smiled Ino.

Kurenai smiled and nodded. She looked towards Ino's twin brother who was just standing there with a happy smile on his face.

As soon a she saw those whisker marks on his face everything clicked in her mind.

"Naruto" yelled Kurenai who gave him a small hug."You've returned. About time if you ask me. This village was lost without you." Remarked Kurenai with a small smile.

" Hi Kurenai-sensei. Long time no see. Looking good, by the way." Winked Naruto playfully.

Kurenai nodded in appreciation, thankful that he noticed she got rid of the baby fat.

" Alright already. Enough with the flirting. I want my Asuma dosage, right now." Said Ino.

Kurenai just laughed a little and shrugged their shoulders and proceeded to enter the house.

They walked into the living room where they saw a laughing Asuma Jr. and a happy Kakashi who was holding some cubes in his hands.

The trio smiled at the scene, Kurenai more so than the other two.

Ino noticed her smile, her suspicions were proving to be right on target. She would have to talk with her later about their 'relationship'.

Kakashi finally noticed the additional company and turned around to come face to face with a smiling Kurenai, Ino and Naruto. 'Wait, Naruto' thought a surprised Kakashi.

"Naruto, you're back." Said a very happy and surprised Kakashi. Kakashi gave him one of his eye smiles to show him how happy he is to see him favorite student again.

"Hey Kakashi-sensei. It's been too long. But you've certainly been busy." Quipped Naruto while sending a look towards Kurenai and the baby.

Kakashi scratched his head and eye smiled. That was everything Naruto needed. He understood perfectly.

Asuma Jr., who was looking towards the new arrivals recognized his favorite Auntie.

"Auntie, Auntie!" yelled Asuma Jr. in delight who jumped into Ino's arms and hugged her.

"Hey there Asuma. Missed me? I certainly missed you. Have you been good while I was away. Did you listen to your mother and Kakashi?" questioned Ino in a playful manner while untangling Asuma of her body and put him on solid ground again.

Asuma nodded with a big smile, happy to see Auntie Ino again. Asuma turned towards the other blonde guest who was watching the interaction with a happy smile.

Asuma pointed towards Naruto and asked "Who's that Auntie? Your, uhm, boy,boy…" asked Asuma who was struggling with the last word. Kurenai decided to help him.

"Boyfriend, Asuma. Is that you wanted to say?" helped Kurenai.

Asuma nodded which caused the blondes to blush at the boy's remark.

"Seriously, everywhere I go it's always the same question. Do you have Ino written on my forehead or what?" said a blushing Naruto. Ino nodded in understanding and answered Asuma's question.

" No Asuma, this is not my boyfriend. This is my friend Naruto. He's a ninja like your mother and Kakashi. He's really strong." Said Ino who got rid of her blush while talking to Asuma Jr.

"Coool. Do you know any jutsu? Can you show me some?" said Asuma Jr. bouncing in delight and with stars in his eyes.

Naruto laughed at his happy expression. He reminded of him. Always full of energy and wanting to see cool jutsus.

" Yes, I know a couple. I'll show them to you some other time but only if you will be good and do whatever your mommy says. OK?" answered Naruto while smiling towards Asuma Jr. who calmed down a bit. But not by much.

"I promise. I'll even eat all my vegetables." Answered Asuma.

Ino, Kakashi and Kurenai smiled at the two. They couldn't help but notice how good Naruto is with little Asuma. It's like he has this aura around him that seems to calm and relax everybody around him. Then again this is the man who befriended all the Kages and so many other things.

"Naruto would you and Kakashi mind watching Asuma for a bit while me and Ino finish making breakfast. You are welcomed to join us, of course." Asked Kurenai.

Naruto nodded, seeing no problem with her request. He liked the little gaki.

' It's no wonder Ino likes him so much, he's just so likeable.' Mused Naruto.

Kurenai nodded in appreciation. With that the two ladies left the room to finish up breakfast.

When Kurenai arrived in the kitchen, she immediately turned around and asked the question that's been plaguing her mind.

"Alright, talk. You two look very comfortable near each other. And I saw the blush. Don't try to avoid the question. Now, speak" said Kurenai while giving a stern look obviously wanting some information.

"Sheesh, talk about sneak attack. What's up with people obsessing about me and Naruto? He's right, it's like our bodies are saying that we are dating or something. But to answer your question, there is nothing between us. We met yesterday at the memorial stone, we talked, had lunch, laughed, then had dinner with the rest of the rookies and he walked me home after that. We met again in the morning, when he helped me with my training. We talked some more after that and now we're here." Answered Ino who was panting after that long explanation.

In the other room Naruto was in the situation. He was currently being interrogated by Kakashi who saw the same thing as Kurenai.

Kurenai wasn't completely satisfied with her answer.

" And? There is still something between you. I can feel it. How do you feel about him?" asked Kurenai not wanting to drop the subject.

"Man, you won't let this go, huh. Alright I admit, I do feel something towards him but I don't know what it is yet. It could just be friendship or could be something more, I don't know yet. He's just so kind and considerate. He always takes the extra mile just to make you happy. And the best part, he doesn't want anything in return. I mean, for the love of God, he saved this village on countless occasions, he saved the world and he's still so humble. Nobody could be that perfect, seriously." Answered Ino honestly.

Kurenai nodded, finally happy with Ino's answer.

" I thought you felt like that. I could see it in your eyes. There was a small twinkle every time you looked at Naruto. I'm happy for you, Ino. It may not be love yet but you are getting there. Just spend some more time with him and get to know him more and you'll get your answer." Said Kurenai with a kind smile.

"Yeah, about knowing him more. We are actually playing a little game. You see, he found out who his parents are and he won't tell me. He gave me a week to find out the identity of at least one of them. If I win, I get to learn one of his techniques and if I lose he gets something he wants." Said Ino.

Kurenai nodded indicating that she's still following her.

"So what I need from you is information. Do you happen to know who his parents were? I know they were heroes, at least to Naruto, they sacrificed their lives to save Naruto but that's it. It's not enough to solve the puzzle." Raged Ino.

"Hm, sorry can't help you with that. I always thought he was just an orphan who was born at the wrong time. I think Kakashi might know more, if not the whole truth. Wait here, I'll go get him." Said a retreating Kurenai.

A few moments later Kakashi walked in with a an eye smile on his face.

"You wanted to talk to me about something, Ino." Said Kakashi.

" Yes. I was hoping to talk to you about Naruto's parents." Said Ino surprising Kakashi a bit, not expecting that question.

"Now, why do you want to know about that?" questioned Kakashi who turned very serious.

Ino proceeded to explain Kakashi about the whole bet with Naruto. Kakashi nodded, liking the answer. He will tell her something but not much just enough to help her along. If Naruto thinks she deserves to know the truth then so be it.

"Well, actually I do know who they were but it's not my place to tell you. That is Naruto's choice and not mine. But I can give you some clues to help you along." Eye smiled Kakashi.

Ino was a bit saddened to hear the first part of the answer but contended herself with minor clues.

"Well here goes, pay attention. His father had blonde hair and was born in this village. His mother had red hair and was from a different village and from a prominent clan." Answered Kakashi who decided to end it there not wanting to give out too much information.

Ino was seen in deep thought contemplating if she knew anybody that fit that description. She came out empty.

'It's still a work in progress. I'll ask around a bit or visit the Register center to see if there are any Uzumakis in the village.' Thought Ino.

Ino thanked Kakashi for his help. Kakashi said it was no problem, anything for Naruto's future girlfriend. Ino glared at him for that last remark, a small blush on her cheeks.

Kakashi smiled with his one visible eye and went back to the living room. Kurenai returned a bit later wanting to finally finish breakfast.

A couple of minutes later, the company could be seen eating breakfast while conversing with each other. If anybody saw them right now they would see a picture of a loving family. They laughed, smiled and just enjoy life. This is what a ninja family looks like.

After the meal Ino and Naruto said their goodbyes, while telling Asuma Jr. they would visit him tomorrow again.

The blondes could be seen walking towards Yamanaka flower shop. Ino is helping her mom around the shop today and Naruto, the gentleman, escorted her.

They stopped in front of the shop's door.

" Thanks for the company Naruto and thanks for the help with my training." Said Ino thankfully.

" Anytime Ino. Listen, I've been meaning to ask you something." Said Naruto who was slightly nervous.

Ino waited for his answer intrigued what has him so worked up.

"Uhm, would you like to go out tonight, as friends of course? I want to hear all the juicy details about the stuff that's been happening around the village and who better to ask than the Gossip Queen of Konoha" said Naruto a bit shyly.

Ino disregarded that remark about the Gossip Queen but instead focused on the real matter, the date. ' Is he asking me out?' Thought Ino.

" Are you asking me on a date Naruto?" asked Ino who was hoping it was.

"Uh, if you want it to be ,then yes. I'm asking you on a date." Answered a smiling Naruto.

" I would love to. Who know, I might have some fun. It can't hurt to try, right." Smiled Ino.

" Great. I'll pick you up at ya Ino." He gave her a slight peck on the cheek and ran away after that.

Ino blushed, loving the feeling of Naruto's lips on her cheeks. She went inside the shop to see her mom behind the counter with a knowing smirk on her face.

Ino sighed, knowing what is to come next. This is going to be a long day.

And that's a wrap. I decided to end it here. I hope I'm improving with my writing, so please tell me what am I doing wrong so that I can correct in the future.

Anyway see you in a couple of days.


	4. Chapter 4

Hey guys, I'm back. Some good news for my readers and some bad news for my teammates. I injured my shoulder in today's practice so the coach gave me a week off to rest a bit. Which means I'll have a bit more time for my writing. ) I went to see how the story's fairing in the statistics department, 1500+ hits, 8 favs, 9 alerts,… I have no idea if that's good or not but I like it. Thanks for all your support and I hope you like this next chapter, which isn't as good as the previous ones IMO.

»««««««««««

Naruto could be seen walking down the street from the Yamanaka shop. He has, what people would describe as a victory smile on his face. And what did he won, you say. Money? No. Promotion? No. Let me help you out a bit. He won a date with one of the most beautiful women in Konoha, if not on the entire continent. Yep, definitely a good reason to be happy.

Some would also wonder what made him do it, why did he make such a bold move. What if it doesn't work out? That could ruin their friendship. Is it worth it?

Naruto thought back to his conversation with his sensei, Kakashi. A single phrase was running through his mind. This is what his sensei told him.

" Life's short Naruto. Cherish it while you can." Said the Copy Ninja.

Naruto took his advice to heart. Until now Naruto took everything for granted. But you never know what might happen, even he isn't invincible.

So he decided to take a leap of faith. He only hopes everything will turn out great. 'So do I Naruto, so do I' thought the narrator.

Only time will tell. He will do everything he can to find his happiness.

Naruto was broking out of his musing when he heard his name being called.

"Naruto-nichan is that you? Boss is that really you?" Konohamaru's voice could be heard on the street. Naruto turned towards the voice and saw Konohamaru with a smile on his face.

Konohamaru changed over the 2 years. He grew quite a lot. He probably reached up to Naruto's chin now. He also gained some muscles. He still wore that ridiculous scarf around his neck. Seriously, what's up with that?

Naruto was beaming, happy to see his protégé again. Konohamaru gave Naruto a small hug, but don't worry it was a manly hug. They had unshed tears of joy in their eyes. It has been too long for these two.

"Kono, hey buddy, how you've been?" said Naruto with a smile reserved for his friend.

" Don't you buddy me. Where were you? You just disappeared on us. I really missed you, we all did." Said Konohomaru who really missed his boss.

Naruto scratched his head in embarrassment, which he was doing a lot lately. He told Konohamaru everything, where he was, what he did, the whole shebang.

Konohamaru understood. Naruto wanted to follow in his master's footsteps, he would have done the same thing in his shoes. As long as he's happy, so is he.

" So what have you been up to? I've heard some interesting things." Smirked Naruto.

Konohamaru didn't like that look, it meant he will be teased later. But there's nothing he can't do right now, he will deal with it later.

"Well, I actually made Chuunin last year. I won the whole tournament, you should have seen me. I wiped the floor with the competition. You should have seen their faces when I used the Rasengan in the finals, you would be laughing your ear off. " laughed a proud Konohamaru.

Naruto gave him a proud smile and ruffled his hair, like a proud brother would.

"That's great Kono. I'm proud of you. Sorry I couldn't be there but I promise I'll be there when you turn Jounin. I'll need to give you a gift for the promotion. Which one do you want, lunch or a new jutsu? Asked Naruto who already knew the answer to that question.

" Hm, that's a tough one. Bah, who am I kidding, jutsu it is." Answered a delighted Konohamaru.

" I thought so. If you want I could show it to you right now, I've got some time." Said Naruto.

"That's great. I'm free right now, let's go. There's a training ground nearby." Said Konohamaru who was all giddy. Just as they were about to leave, they were stopped by a new voice but this time Konohamaru's name was called.

"Konohamaru. Wait up." Yelled a running Udon. Behind him was Hyuuga Hanabi who looked irritated for some reason.

"Hey guys. What's up?" said Konohamaru nonchalantly.

" Don't pretend you don't what's going on. You ditched us while we were talking, you idiot. That was so impolite." Said an angry Hanabi. The 2 years were great for the young Hyuuga. She turned into a fine young lady. She's a bit shorter than Konohamaru and has a figure that rivals her sister.

"Shit, sorry about that. I thought I saw someone I know, so I bailed. Sorry. But hey it was worth it. Look who I found." Konohamaru pointed at Naruto.

Udon smiled at who he saw. His Boss was back. Things will finally return to normal.

"Boss you're back. We missed you." Said Udon also smiling at his long time friend. Udon changed the most out of the three. He was no longer the brat who had boogers sticking out of his nose. He is as tall as Konohamaru and just as lean as he.' He definitely looks like a ninja now' mused Naruto.

Naruto greeted him back and told him he missed him too. He turned his attention to the young Hyuuga girl who was looking back at him with respect. She obviously heard of all his achievements.

She bowed and said "Hello Naruto-sama, nice to meet you. I've heard a lot about you." Said Hanabi politely. Naruto smiled at her. Konohamaru decided to say something.

"Hey, hey. What did I tell you about all that politeness crap? This is Naruto, you can act normally around him, you don't need all that Hyuuga attitude around him. Just say whatever comes to your mind." Ranted Konohamaru.

Hanabi glared at him and they started to argue. Hanabi said that Naruto was a hero and deserves to be respected while Konohamaru said that he doesn't like all that formal crap and rules.

Udon just sighed at their bickering. He was used to them by now. Naruto laughed which caused the two to stop bickering. They blushed in embarrassment.

"Haha, Neji was right. You two are perfect for each other." This caused the two to blush even more and turn away from each other, to hide their embarrassment.

"But Konohamaru is right, Hanabi. You don't have to be so formal around me. I'm no different than you so don't treat me differently. Just be Hanabi and not Hyuuga Hanabi, if you know what I mean." Remarked Naruto.

Hanabi nodded and said she'll try. That was good enough for Naruto.

Konohamaru told them that he and Naruto are going training and that they are welcomed to join them. They declined saying that they had other obligations. They said their goodbyes and went on their way.

Konohamaru and Naruto made some small talk while they were walking. Naruto found out that Moegi joined the Medical corps. She joins them on missions which makes their team the only team in Konoha with 5 members, including their sensei Ebisu.

They spend an hour or so training. Naruto showed him how to do Oodama Rasengan. Konohamaru realized that this version of the Rasengan is on a whole other level than the normal Rasengan. Suffice to say, it's going to take awhile to perfect it.

Meanwhile""""""""

Ino just finished her shift from hell. Normally working at her family's flower shop tends to be relaxing but not today. Today that relaxation was replaced with her mother's teasing.

Ino has never been so exhausted in her life.

'Mom can be such a pain sometimes. I just hope she doesn't tell Dad, knowing him he'll probably flip out if he hears I'm going on a date' thought an exhausted Ino.

But hopefully her next destination will cheer her up. You see, she's moving towards the Registry Center. She is hoping to find some clues about Naruto's family or at least someone with the last name Uzumaki. It's a long shot, but it can't hurt to try.

After a couple of minutes she was in front of the building. It was quite huge. Probably one of the biggest buildings in Konoha, as it should be. A lot of information is stored here and hopefully Naruto's heritage is among them.

She entered the building and walked towards the reception. Behind it stood an elderly woman, way past her retirement.

"Hello, young lady. How can I help you?" asked the old lady nicely.

"Hello. I'm looking for someone. I was wondering if you have any Uzumakis in your database." Asked Ino.

"Uzumaki, huh. That's a name you don't hear very often, except for that young fellow, Naruto, I think his name was. Let me take a look. It will take just a second." Responded the nice old lady.

You could hear the woman typing something in her computer repeatedly. Even in her old age she is thoroughly dedicated to her work as is shown on her face and attitude.

"Hm, there are some hits. There are three registered Uzumaki's in our database. One of them is Naruto Uzumaki, still living. The next one is Mito Uzumaki, who was surprisingly the First Hokage's wife. And the last one is Uzumaki Kushina." Responded the lady.

'Hm, Mito is definitely out, she's too old to be Naruto's mother. This Kushina sounds interesting.' Thought Ino.

"Can I look at Uzumaki Kushina's file, please?" asked Ino politely.

"Sure thing, dear. Just a second." Answered the lady who tried to click on her file but was classified and said Hokage's eyes only.

"That's strange. I have never seen something like this." Said a confused lady.

"What? What happened?" asked an interested Ino.

"It seems the file on Uzumaki Kushina is classified and can only be opened by the current Hokage." Said the lady who was in deep thought.

"Hold on let me try something. Let me try accessing the other two files." Said the lady.

It had the same result. 'Truly interesting' thought the lady.

" Remarkable. It is the same for the other two. Everything about the Uzumakis is classified. Young lady, whatever you are looking for must be something truly interesting or something truly frightening and dangerous." Remarked the perplexed lady.

'Naruto. What are you hiding? Just who are you?' thought Ino who was losing hope of ever finding the truth.

" I see. Well, thank you anyway. I'll look somewhere else. I'm grateful for your help." Said Ino with a slight bow. She bid the lady farewell and went on her way.

' Damn, still nowhere close to finding the truth. I'm running out of ideas. Tsunade is probably a dead end. She won't divulge classified information especially about Naruto. I'll have to try the people who were in contact with Naruto. This means Gai-sensei.' She shudders, not looking forward to that meeting. 'Next Yamato-taichou, Sai, the rest of the rookies and perhaps Shizune-sensei.' Thought Ino.

"I'll worry about that later. I need to prepare for our date tonight. Can't be late on our first date, now can I." said Ino who started running back home to prepare for her date.

"""""""""Later that evening"""""""""""""

Naruto was walking towards Ino's house with flowers in his hands. He chose her favorites, Purple Irises. He wore an elegant black shirt with some golden lining and matching pants. He left his protector at home since he won't be needing it tonight.

He was definitely nervous. This is his first official date with another woman. So many things could go wrong. What if he does something stupid, knowing himself he probably will?

"**Stop squirming, you're making me dizzy" yelled an annoyed Kurama.**

"Shut up, I'm nervous, okay. It's not every day I get to take Ino on a date. Cut me some slack here." Responded Naruto in equal measure.

"**I don't care. Just stop moving around so much. I need to get my sleep." Growled Kurama.**

"Yeah, yeah. All you care about is your sleep. Well, I don't. So, shut up." Bellowed Naruto.

Kurama grunted. Why should he care about his host's personal life? Maybe perhaps, whoever Naruto chooses to be his girlfriend, he will have to listen to her every single day. So it would be in their best interest for him to choose wisely.

"**Look kid. You like her don't you? And she probably likes you. Now, I may not understand a lot about human relationship but I watched your mother her whole life. I noticed a thing or two. You are a lot like her. So do what she did. I think she once said **_**Go With The Flow. **_**It worked for her, it might work for you." Said Kurama who gave his first advice in his long life.**

Naruto was shocked to death. "Did you just give me advice, like a human would?" asked a stunned Naruto.

"**Shut up. I'm going back to sleep." Growled Kurama who was a bit embarrassed but also happy for his host.**

"Hehe, you are such a spoil sport. But thanks. I owe you one." Said Naruto sincerely.

Kurama just grumbled and went back to sleep.

Naruto smiled at his lifetime companion. He was grateful for his help; it did wonders for his nervousness. It was still there but he knew he can deal with anything that will come his way. At least he hopes so.

After a couple of turns, he found himself in front of Ino's house. He knocked and gulped.

'This is it' thought Naruto.

The door opened but it wasn't Ino who opened it. It was someone far worse. The protector, the guardian, the interrogator, the mind walker, Yamanaka Inoichi.

'Not him. Why him?' thought a frightened Naruto.

Inoichi gave him an appraising look which made Naruto even more nervous and scared. After a few moments of silence Inoichi relented and gave him a small smile. Naruto wasn't entirely convinced by that smile.

"Hello Naruto. Here for Ino?" asked Inoichi.

Naruto nodded, not trusting his words that might come out his mouth.

"Relax kid. I'm not going to bite you, much." Said Ino with emphasis on much.

Naruto let out the breath he was holding in but still remained on guard. You never know what might happen with overprotective fathers.

Inoichi invited him in where he could wait for Ino to get finished. They made some small talk while they were waiting. Ino's mom also joined them and introduced herself while offering him some coffe.

Naruto thanked her and gave her a small compliment about her looks which she appreciated.

Inoichi decided to speak up about something.

"Naruto" said Inoichi. Naruto turned towards him.

" I wanted to thank you." Said Inoichi in a humble tone.

Naruto was confused.

"Uhm, what for? I don't remember doing something for you." Answered Naruto who wasn't sure what the topic of the conversation is.

" I wanted to thank you for not listening to me during Pain's invasion. I let my emotions take over. I didn't have faith in you and I'm sorry for that." Humbly said Inoichi.

Ino's mom, Inora, smiled at Inoichi. This is the man she fell in love with. A humble, caring man who would do anything for his family.

" You don't have to thank me for that. You did what you had to. I understood you perfectly back then. I was in the same situation as you. I was so angry at Pain, at Akatsuki. I wanted to kill them all. But then I remembered Ero-sennin's words from our training. He told me hate and revenge is not the right way to take in life. Forgiveness is. If anything, we should both thank him." Said Naruto who smiled at the older man.

Inoichi nodded, grateful for everything the young man has done.

"Naruto. Take good care of my little daughter. She means the world to me." Said Inoichi in a fatherly tone. Inora smiled and took Inoichi's hand and leaned on his shoulder.

Naruto smiled at their love, also wanting that kind of happiness.

They were interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throats.

"Daddy, I hope you weren't pestering Naruto. I can take care of myself, you know." Said Ino who finished dressing. And my God, was she a sight for sore eyes.

Naruto was beyond stunned. I think his heart skipped a beat. He just stood there watching the blonde goddess of his dreams.

Ino wore a beautiful purple dress that went down to her ankles. The dress showed quite a lot of cleavage but in a tasteful manner. She wore purple heels that fitted with the dress perfectly. She also wore the earrings Asuma gave them when they passed the Gennin exams.

"Beautiful…" whispered Naruto. He was at a loss of words. The ball of energy, the Prankster from Hell, was for the first time stunned speechless. He couldn't form a single sentence. But that one word was enough for Ino.

She blushed at his compliment, liking his reaction, very much so.

"Thank you, Naruto. You don't look bad yourself." Winked Ino.

Naruto scratched his head like always when he's embarrassed or nervous. He offered her his hand.

"Shall we, gorgeous?" said Naruto.

Ino blushed at his compliment and took his hand and they started walking towards the exit.

Inoichi and Inora smiled at the young couple. They had the same thoughts running through their heads. ' They look just like us when we were younger' thought the parents. Well there was one more thought running through Inora's mind ' Babies, babies, lots of babies.' Screamed Inora in her mind.

When they were outside Ino asked Naruto where they were going.

"It's a surprise." He answered. Ino pouted not wanting to be left in the dark.

He asked her to close her eyes for a moment. Ino gave a him a stern look.

" Don't worry. I won't do anything you won't like, trust me." Said Naruto.

Ino complied and closed her eyes.

'She's so beautiful' thought Naruto who was looking at Ino while she was trying to keep her eyes closed.

He embraced her and they disappeared in a Shunshin and reappeared on top of the Hokage Mountain, specifically on top of Yondaime's head.

"You can open your eyes now, Ino." Said Naruto who was anxious to see her reaction.

When Ino opened her eyes she was met with the most beautiful sight she had ever seen. The Sun was disappearing behind the horizon, enveloping Konoha with its light for the last time today. The image was out of a fairy tale. You could see all the different colors merging, forming a beautiful sight for all to behold if they bothered to look up.

She moved her gaze towards the spot they were standing on. And she was surprised once more.

On the Yondaime's head was a table for two, with scented candles on it and their dinner. All around her were her favorite flowers, Purple Irises. This was Naruto's symbol of how much he cares.

' He went through all this trouble for me, for our first date. He's such a good guy.' Thought a teary Ino. No one has ever done something like this for her before.

"Naruto. This is amazing. You didn't have to all this just for me. I would be perfectly happy with a normal dinner." Said a now smiling Ino, who had tears in her eyes.

Naruto took her hand and guided her towards the table while giving her his warmest smile.

" It was no problem. You deserve it. I would do anything to see you smile, like you are now." Said Naruto warmly.

Ino couldn't help it, one tear escaped her eyes. But she composed herself. She didn't want to ruin their first date.

"Thank you Naruto. This means a lot to me. More than you know." Said Ino, who was now sitting across from Naruto. They enjoyed their meal in silence, taking glances at each other occasionally and smiling to each other the whole time.

They finished their meals after a while. Naruto served dessert which was Ino's favorite, cherry-blossom pudding.

She asked him how did he know this was her favorite. He responded by saying that he remember seeing her eat it a couple of years back while drooling.

He laughed and Ino pouted after that last word. But she couldn't hold that pout for long. The fact that he remembered her favorite dessert by only seeing her eat it once was beyond thoughtful.

" You know I was actually really surprised when you accepted my invitation. I would have thought you were taken already. I mean, you must have the whole male population after you." Smirked Naruto.

" Yeah and 99% of them are pigs. Seriously, all they see in me is a trophy to brag about to their friends. Every time the girls and I go out there is always a group of guys that try to get into our pants. It's disgusting. You should see how they look at us. We are not women to them, just a piece of meat to use and then discard after you grow tired of it." Responded Ino in an angry tone.

Naruto gave her a reassuring smile.

" Well, you are definitely not some piece of meat. You are a dear friend. You are loud, bossy…" described Naruto. Ino sent him a glare at his description of her.

Naruto continued " but you are also kind, loving, thoughtful, a dear friend and the most beautiful person I have ever seen." Said Naruto blushing at his last statement.

And so did Ino. She had no idea Naruto had such a good opinion of her. Truly a magnificent guy.

Ino sighed.

" I wish more men were like you. Seriously, you should see this one guy. He came up to me about two months ago and said he wants me as his second wife. You can imagine my response. I told him to get out of my face and to never show his face around here again. As a sign of my seriousness I kicked him in his jewels." Winked Ino towards the end but was obviously disgusted with how the guy acted.

Naruto winced at the image of being kicked in the nuts by Ino.

" The guy deserved it. He's probably some noble dude, who thinks he can get anything he wants. Perhaps you kicking him in the balls will serve him some good, show him some humility." Said Naruto.

Ino shook her head.

"No, sadly he didn't learn anything. About a week after that, he approached my father. He demanded from him that he arrange a marriage between us. Father got so angry he was one second away from frying his mind. If it wasn't for Chouza, he would have. The pig said that he will have me one way or another. Father threatened him that if he ever does something to me he will personally kill him and everyone of his kin." Said Ino who took a short break to catch her breath.

" But not even that worked. I still see him lurking around the hospital and looking at me. It sends shivers up my spine every time I see his look." Responded Ino who felt powerless to do anything to stop this.

Naruto took hold of her hand and gave a reassuring squeeze. He moved closer to her and slung a hand over her shoulder in a sign of support. Ino leaned into his shoulder and they stayed like that for a few minutes.

" Don't worry. I'm here. If that pig tries to do something tell me. I know you don't need protection, but you are a ninja of Konoha and you can't attack a civilian. But I can. Being a Sage has certain perks. The civilian court has no power over me. Only the Hokage can punish me and I'm pretty sure Bachan wouldn't mind if I put a certain pig in a hospital for attacking her ninja." Remarked Naruto.

Ino was grateful for his words and for saying that she isn't a weak little girl. She leaned closer to him and just enjoyed his warmth for a while. She shivered a bit from the cold which Naruto noticed.

He used a bit of chakra to keep her warm. She thanked him.

"Naruto, why did you bring us here for our first date?" asked Ino.

Naruto smiled. "This place has a special meaning for me. As you probably know I wasn't very popular when I was younger. This was one of the few places where I wasn't glared or spit at. This was, is my sanctuary. Also Yondaime is my hero, my idol, the man I want to surpass." Answered Naruto truthfully.

" Do you hate the Fourth for what he did for you?" asked Ino carefully.

Naruto laughed a bit. " No, I don't. I did always wonder why he chose me. There were plenty of other choices beside me. I know now why he did." Responded Naruto.

"And why did he?" asked Ino, who truly wanted to know the answer to that question.

" He told he believed in me." Responded Naruto with the biggest smile while the wind ruffled his hair.

Ino was confused. How would Naruto know that he believed in him? The Fourth died the day Naruto was born, so he couldn't know that. 'What's up with Naruto and his secrets?' Thought Ino.

" How can you know that? He died the day you were born. You couldn't know what he thought" said Ino.

" I met him and he told me." Answered Naruto which confused and shocked Ino even further.

"What? How? That's impossible, he's dead." Said Ino.

"Slow down, Ino. Let me explain. But you've got to promise me that this stays between you and me. Very few people know this." Said Naruto in a serious tone.

Ino nodded and waited for Naruto to continue.

Naruto sighed and continued.

" It was during the Akatsuki's invasion after I used Kyuubi's power. Pain asked me how would I achieve peace. I didn't know the answer, I was littered with doubts, doubts about myself, my power, my belief. He said that he will use Kyuubi's power to bring peace. He was just about to take me but Hinata intervened. She got injured and I tapped into Kyuubi's power. After that everything is pretty much a blur until I wanted to rip the seal from Kyuubi's cage, freeing him. Someone stopped me." Said Naruto who paused for a bit to let the information sink in.

Ino nodded signifying she was still following although barely. This was surreal.

"That person was the Fourth Hokage." Said Naruto. Ino couldn't believe what she just heard. The Fourth appeared inside Naruto's mind and prevented him from freeing the fox.

He told her the rest of the story, leaving out the part about the Fourth being his father. He wanted her to find out that herself.

" He repaired my seal and told me he believed in me." Finished Naruto.

Ino just looked at him with wide eyes. It's not every day you hear something like this.

Naruto laughed at her expression which woke Ino. She smacked him on the arm while smiling.

They stayed like that, just enjoying each other's company and looking at Konoha.

Ino sighed. This was everything she ever wanted but she always thought Sasuke would provide her with this kind of scenes. In a way she's glad she got to see the real Sasuke on that fateful day on that battlefield because if she didn't she probably wouldn't be here right now. She wouldn't be this close to Naruto and she would miss out on all the fun she had with Naruto in the last 2 days.

Naruto woke her from her thoughts.

" It's getting late, beautiful. Don't want your dad to come after me, now do we?" quipped Naruto who stood up with Ino following him.

She nodded and they Shunshined back to her house.

" I had a great time tonight, Ino." Said a smiling and nervous Naruto.

"Me too, Naruto. I want to thank you for me giving the best date of my life and for sharing that secret with me. It really means a lot for you to trust me with such a secret." Said Ino.

" You don't have to thank me, I would trust you with my life." beamed Naruto.

"Uhm, if you are interested I would love to take you to another date." Said Naruto nervously.

Ino giggled at his shyness but told him she would love to go out with him again.

Naruto beamed at her answer. He gave her a quick peck on her cheek and tucked her favorite flower behind her ear.

"Bye, Ino. I'll see you tomorrow." Said Naruto who was walking away from her.

Ino slightly surprised just gave him a small wave while holding a hand on her cheek.

She smiled after she processed what just happened and looked forward to their next meeting.

She went inside her house while cradling the flower he tucked behind her ear. She went to her room and placed the flower in the vase on her nightstand and just looked at it for a few minutes, smiling and remembering her romantic date.

Ino went to bed with a happy smile on her face and couldn't wait to see what happens next. One thing was certain, being around Naruto is never boring. With that she retired for the night.

What Naruto and Ino didn't notice was a figure lurking in the shadows.

'I need to report this to the Boss.' Thought the figure while disappearing into the shadows.

And that's a wrap. I kinda rushed things in the end. I lost ideas for their date, to be honest. I promise the next chapter will be better. That's it see you in a couple of days.


	5. Chapter 5

Guess who? I'm back with another chapter. I hope you enjoyed the previous one even though it was finished in a hurry. I promised that this one will be better and i think it is. Well don't let me keep you waiting; enjoy another chapter of The Aftermath.

Disclaimer: I'm still nowhere close to gaining ownership of Naruto.

Unknown place""""""""""""""""""""

"Sir, reporting in." said a voice from the shadows.

"Speak!" said a grim voice.

"As per your request I was observing the Yamanaka residence. Everything was normal since I stationed myself there, until last night that is." Said the shadow in a professional voice.

" And? What happened?" asked the voice of the leader.

" Yamanaka Ino was seen in the company of another male whose identity I couldn't ascertain. They seem to have been on a date, judging by the way they dressed and acted. The young male came around 8 o'clock to the Yamanaka residence where he was invited in by Yamanaka Inoichi. He emerged from the household 10 minutes later with Yamanaka Ino. Next, they used Shunshin to go somewhere, where, I don't know since I couldn't follow them. I stayed there for the night and saw them return together, sir." Said the shadow.

The man in charge wasn't pleased with his spy's news. His target, Yamanaka Ino, his future wife is seeing someone else complicating things even further than they were. No, the man was definitely not pleased with this information.

" This certainly complicates things. But no matter, the plans will just have to be altered a bit. Maybe we can use this unknown man to our benefit." Mused the man who could barely contain his anger at the news.

" What are my orders, sir?" asked the shadow who was waiting patiently for his master.

" You are to cease observing the Yamanaka residence. I have a mission for you. Whoever this intruder is, he is probably a ninja. Yamanaka Ino wouldn't go out with a weakling, a normal civilian, that much I know. If by some off chance he decides to interfere with my plans we will need more muscle." Said the man in a professional tone.

"I see. What shall you have me do, sir?" asked the shadow. The spy was no fool. He was great at staying hidden, but an all out fight against a ninja would be suicide for him.

" You are to contact any mercenary ninja you can find. Offer them whatever they want in exchange for their services. You have by the end of the week. My plan starts then. Understood?" ordered the leader.

"Understood, sir. But if I may be so bold, why are you so interested in the young Yamanaka?" asked the spy carefully not wanting to anger the more powerful man.

" Fair question but believe you can be trusted with this information. You know what will happen to you if you betray my trust." Said the leader in a dangerous tone.

The spy nodded, fully aware what would happen to him if he betrayed his master.

" You see, my family was once very powerful and rich. We were one of the leading merchant families in the Fire Nation. We had ties with the Daimyo himself, so powerful were we. It all went downhill when my father was in charge of our family. You see he was searching for a wife but not just any wife. No, my father was a very picky man. He wouldn't marry an ordinary woman no matter how beautiful she might be." Described the man. The man paused.

He seemed deep in thought, probably remembering something. He continued after this short break.

" And he found her, right here in Konoha. He told me that she was his chosen one, his leading lady. He said that it wasn't her beauty that captured his attention, even though she was supposed to be one of the most beautiful women in Konoha at that time. No, it was her temper. She wasn't like any other women, she talked back, fought back. She even refused my father's offer to become his wife and embarrassed him in front of her friends and I think that was the deciding thing for my father. No one refused my father, no one. Even the Daimyo of the Fire Nation would think twice before refusing my father." Boasted the now grinning man clearly proud of his family and father.

" My father used all his tricks to try and persuade this woman. But there was one problem. Not many people knew this but this woman was already engaged and to the Fourth Hokage no less. Everything about their engagement was kept quiet fearing the Fourth Hokage's enemies. My father used a lot of money to procure this information. I found out through his journal he kept."

" Everyone knew who the Fourth was, someone not to be trifled with as he demonstrated in the Third Shinobi War. But my father didn't back down. He tried everything to win her over but nothing worked. In one last desperate attempt, he kidnapped her. He hired a bunch of missing ninjas and ordered them to kidnap her. Yes, so great was his obsession with this woman. He would go so far as to abduct her. And that's when everything collapsed on my father." explained the man.

"What happened, if I may ask?" said the spy.

" The Fourth Hokage happened, that's what happened. My father found out why he was considered the strongest man alive. He tracked the ninjas back to my father's estate where he proceeded to rescue his fiancé and kill all the bodyguards and ninjas. He saved my father for last but he didn't kill him. No, he did something far worse. He went to the Daimyo and told him everything. My father was executed, my family dishonored and left penniless. Ever since that day I strived to regain what my family lost. My next step is to gain power through the ninja clans of Konoha, starting with Yamanaka Ino." Finished the leader.

"Sir, what was the woman's name?" asked the spy, fascinated by his story.

There was a short pause. No sound could be heard from the man. The spy thought he wouldn't answer but he was rewarded with when the leader spoke.

"Uzumaki Kushina!" said the man with unrestrained malice directed towards the woman's name.

He stepped out of the shadow and you could see a visage of a man in his thirties, about 6'2 and looked quite intimidating with his muscular body. This man took his training seriously.

The spy wasn't familiar with the woman's name, he knew only one Uzumaki but not personally. He decided he heard enough and excused himself and left do finish his mission.

The man was left alone in the room contemplating his next move.

"Soon, Yamanaka Ino, soon you will be mine and Konoha and the rest of the country will follow." Said the man with an evil grin.

""""""""""""Yamanaka residence""""""""""""

First rays of light were penetrating through Ino's window. This was Ino's sign for her to wake up. And such a shame, she was having such a pleasant dream about her blonde knucklehead. She wished she could stay in that dream for a while longer, but the Sun wouldn't relent.

She grudgingly opened her eyes and was immediately assaulted with sudden pain from her eyes trying to adjust to the light.

She rubbed her eyes for a couple of seconds trying to clear the sleepiness from her body.

She yawned and stood up and stretched her body. She could feel and hear her joints pop back into place from a well deserved sleep.

'Oh, that felt good' thought Ino on the stretching part.

She did her usually mourning routine, showering, combing her hair and the rest of the things that needed to be done.

After she was finished with that she went downstairs to make herself some breakfast.

When she came downstairs she saw her parents already up, unsurprisingly. They always were early risers.

"Hello sweetheart. Sleep well?" asked Inora, Ino's mom.

Ino nodded still half asleep. Inoichi asked a question that was keeping him up all night.

" How was your date with Naruto last night? He didn't try anything, did he?" asked Inoichi, who was already preparing to go and murder Naruto if he did anything inappropriate with his daughter.

" Relax daddy, he didn't do anything. He was a perfect gentleman all night. He took me to his favorite place, on top of Yondaime's head." Said Ino dreamily, remembering where she was last night.

Inora smiled at Ino's expression.' Her date must have been fantastic' thought Inora.

Inoichi also smiled but for a different reason. He also noticed her daughter's expression but he was focused on something else. 'Huh, how fitting. His favorite place is on his father's head' mused Inoichi in his mind.

Ino continued to tell her parents all about her date last night, but left out Naruto's secret, not wanting to betray Naruto's trust he placed in her.

At the end of Ino's recollection there were different reactions to her story. Ino was playing the date over and over again in her mind and was sighing dreamily. Inoichi smiled at his daughter's happiness and noted to himself to thank Naruto later for taking good care of his daughter.

While Inora had a very different reaction to her story. She was obviously very happy for her daughter but also very pissed off at her husband, which she demonstrated.

"Inoichi" yelled a frustrated Inora. Inoichi turned towards his wife who sounded offended for some reason. He didn't like that voice. There is always pain involved whenever that voice surfaces.

" How come you didn't prepare such a romantic date for me, huh?" said Inora in a disappointed and angry tone.

Inoichi started sweating bullets and his mind was working in overdrive to try and find a solution. His mind failed on him, now at all times. 'This is going to hurt' thought Inoichi preparing for what was coming next.

Inora produced her ninja killer, the husband beater, the Almighty Frying Pan.

Ino smiled at the scene of her parents. Even though they bickered a lot, they loved each other to death. She wanted that kind of relationship with someone. It was her dream to find a husband that would love her forever and have little blonde kids running around the house annoying the hell out of her and her husband.

Ino sighed. 'That's still a long way from here' thought Ino a bit saddened. But she bounced back quickly saying that she's got time and that the right man will come eventually, perhaps she was already dating him.

Ino giggled at the prospect of marrying Naruto. If someone asked her that a couple of years before she would have beaten the hell out of them for insinuating that, but people change and so does their opinion on people. Who knows what will happen.

' I'll worry about that later.' Thought Ino.

After that long and exhausting mind storming she waved her parents goodbye who were still in the middle of their bickering. The scene was absolutely hilarious for anyone to behold.

Inora was chasing the screaming Inoichi around the house trying to hit him with her ninja killer. Ino sighed at the scene. 'They can be such childish at time' thought Ino who was walking out of the house to go train her Water affinity and after that she would go and visit her favorite nephew.

"""""A Couple of hours later""""""""""""""

Ino was walking towards Kurenai's house after making good progress on mastering her Water affinity. All those tips from Naruto were really helpful.

"Say what you want about Naruto, he can be dense about some things. But when it comes to ninja stuff, he's a genius" muttered Ino to herself who was proud of the progress she made today.

After a couple of minutes of walking Ino arrived in front of Kurenai's house. She knocked, not wanting to just barge in uninvited.

The door opened and Naruto could be seen standing there with a smile on his face, happy to see Ino again.

"Hey gorgeous" winked Naruto.

Ino smiled at him and gave him a small hug in response for his compliment. Naruto returned the hug and invited her in.

Ino realized that she wanted to ask Naruto something before he distracted her with his compliment.

"What are you doing here, Naruto? Not that I mind, or anything. I just thought you would have other things to do in the morning." Asked Ino.

" Oh, Ino doesn't want me near her. I'm hurt." Teased Naruto. Ino smacked him on the arm and muttered idiot in a playful manner.

Naruto laughed and told her that he and Kakashi were training together earlier. Kakashi invited him to come along to Kurenai and he accepted, not having any plans in the morning.

Naruto, Ino walked into the living room where Kakashi was reading a story to Asuma while Kurenai was sitting in the chair watching them with a contend smile. Ino saw this smile and remembered that she wanted to talk to Kurenai about Kakashi.

Kakashi noticed Ino and said hello to her but didn't let that distract him from his reading.

"Naruto I'm going to talk to Kurenai about something, okay?" said Ino.

Naruto nodded and went to join Kakashi and help him with the story reading by using funny mimicry which elicited a laughter from little Asuma.

Kurenai nodded at Ino's request and they went to the kitchen where they could talk in peace.

" Yes, Ino. Need something?" asked Kurenai.

" Well I decided to return the favor. You interrogated me about Naruto yesterday and I think it's time we talk about Kakashi, don't you think?" grinned Ino.

Kurenai sighed. She had a feeling this was coming. She was surprised it took so long.

" I guess it's fair. You did tell me about your feelings towards Naruto, so I guess it's my turn." Said Kurenai. She took a seat and motioned for Ino to do the same.

When they were both seated Kurenai began.

" To be honest with you, I have no idea what to do with Kakashi. He is so different from before, or I just didn't know the real him. After the war he changed or at least showed his other side to me. He was by my side through the whole pregnancy and birth and the months after that. He became my confidant, my closest friend. He helped me with Asuma, guided me. Without him I would be lost. I had no idea what to do with a baby, it was frustrating for me. I mean, what kind of mother can't take care of her own child? But Kakashi was there." Said Kurenai a bit sadly towards the end but smiled after that Kakashi remark.

"He was there every step of the way. He brought me books to read about being a single mother. He even read some things about babies himself. At times I didn't feel like a single mother, you know. Kakashi did that to me with his presence and support." Said Kurenai happy to have Kakashi by her side.

Ino smiled at their history, they sounded like a real family.

" You sound like a real family, Kurenai." Said a smiling Ino.

" I guess we do, huh. I think that's why I have mixed feelings about Kakashi. I mean I do feel a certain towards him but I don't want to risk what we have now if we don't make it as a couple." Responded Kurenai unsure about the whole situation.

Ino was thinking that this is similar to her situation with Naruto.

"You know, this sounds just like my situation with Naruto. I was also unsure how to act on my feelings. Do I follow my heart or do I play it safe? It was bugging the hell out of me and Naruto was in the same situation. But he did something about it. He asked me out yesterday." Said a beaming Ino.

Kurenai perked up at this information. ' A date with Naruto, how did this happen?' thought Kurenai.

Ino told her about last night, how romantic Naruto was, how thoughtful, caring, loving.

" I think you should risk it, Kurenai. The reward outweighs the risk." Said Ino, speaking from experience.

"That's what Anko and Yuugao told me as well. Perhaps you're right." Said Kurenai solemnly.

Ino nodded and told her she she's there if she needs any help.

Kurenai thanked her for everything and was glad to have her as a friend.

After a couple of moments of silence, each women was in deep thought about their own relationship, Kurenai said something that surprised Ino but understood why she asked the question.

"Ino, do you think it's too soon? Am I dishonoring Asuma's memory?" said Kurenai while looking down at her lap obviously concerned.

Ino smiled at the older woman. Kurenai, loyal to the end, even after death.

" No, I think this is what Asuma would have wanted for you. Your happiness was his last thought before he passed away. He would want you to move on and live, live for little Asuma, live for yourself and live for him." Responded Ino kindly.

Kurenai smiled, more confident after Ino's words.

"Thank you, Ino". Kurenai gave Ino a small hug for her help.

After that Ino dragged a squirming Naruto out of the house so that the two could have some privacy. They had a lot to talk about. They took little Asuma with them. They went for a little walk hoping that by the time they came back, they would finish with their private conversation.

Naruto proposed to get some ice cream, which made Asuma Jr. very happy. He was bouncing the whole way. He was holding both Ino and Naruto's hand and they looked perfect together.

The people around them gave Ino and Naruto confusing looks, thinking if there is something going on between the two. The duo payed them no mind and minded their own business.

After ice cream they went to the park where they played for a little while. They took turns on the swing, each laughing and having the time of their lives.

After an hour so they turned back towards the house. When they arrived in the living room they could see the couple sitting on the couch, Kurenai leaning against Kakashi shoulder and watching TV.

Both Ino and Naruto smiled at their friends, happy that they decided to take the next step. They hoped everything turns out fine.

Naruto and Ino excused themselves and left the family alone.

Outside the house Naruto asked Ino if she wanted to meet up tonight for a simple walk around Konoha, nothing special, just some casual conversation to get to know each other better and maybe to gossip a little.

Ino accepted and kissed him on cheek, making Naruto blush, who wasn't used to this kind of closeness. Ino laughed at his bewildered look and teased him a bit but said her goodbyes and went to on her away while telling Naruto to pick her up at 9.

Ino and the girls gather every other day so that they don't lose touch with each other. With all the things that are going in their lives, it can happen pretty easily so they agreed to meet every other day to just sit down, have a drink and just tell each other what they have been up to in the mean time.

Naruto looked at Ino's retreating back and contemplated his next move.

Naruto wanted to do something for a while now but didn't have the time to do it. Something's been bugging him ever since he came back and was reminded of it constantly.

He needed to climb in rank. He was sick of being a Gennin. He achieved what most Jounin wouldn't even dream of achieving. He deserves to get a promotion and he would get one way or another.

While he was walking towards the tower, he saw someone he had unfinished business to discuss. He saw Hinata and Kiba walking down the street, with Kiba vividly describing something to Hinata and she shyly laughed at his story telling. Naruto smiled at the couple, happy for the two to have found each other. Hinata deserved to be happy after what he did to her.

The couple waved at him after they saw him and walked towards him.

" Hey Naruto, what's up? Where are you going?" asked Kiba in his usual loud tone. Hinata gave him a small, shy smile.

" Hey guys. How you've been? I'm actually going to see Bachan. I have something important to discuss with her. I was on my way there when I spotted you two lovebirds." Remarked Naruto with a wink at the end.

Kiba scratched his nose, proud to be dating Hinata, while Hinata was fidgeting and looking down, you know what she does 90 % of the time.

" I see. What's so important for you to visit the Hokage directly?" said Kiba, a little bit confused.

Naruto sighed. " I'll tell you later. You would probably laught at me right now, so I'll wait until I talk to Bachan before telling you." Responded Naruto.

Kiba wasn't happy with his answer, but he let it go, he did say he'll tell him later. He can laugh at him later.

Kiba told Naruto that he's picking Akamaru up from the vet and he's escorting Hinata to the lady's gathering. He explained to Naruto that this gathering is something the women thought out so that they can talk about guys and gossip about the latest news. Naruto understood. All ninjas need some sort of vice to forget about all the ninja stuff and just relax.

Kiba excused himself and gave a small kiss on Hinata's lips and went on his way. That just left Naruto and Hinata alone on the street.

'It's now or never' thought Naruto.

"Hinata, can I talk to you for a bit?" asked Naruto.

Hinata nodded and they took a seat at the nearby bench.

They just sat there for a while in an awkward silence both not wanting to start the conversation. Naruto eventually mustered enough courage to begin.

" I wanted to talk to you about what happened during Pain's attack." said Naruto a bit nervously. Hinata nodded. She knew this conversation would come eventually.

Naruto took her nod as a sign to continue.

"It's about what you said when you came to my rescue. I realize I've been unfair to you. I could have talked to you about it after the invasion, but I couldn't. I didn't want to break your heart. My heart belonged to Sakura-chan and I didn't want to reject you. You have always been there for me, rooting for me from the background. I've just been too blind to realize that. What I meant to say is that I'm sorry and thank you for always believing in me and sticking with me even though I didn't return your feelings." Spoke Naruto from his heart.

Hinata took some time to process everything. This was on her mind for a while now. She wanted to know why Naruto ignored even after she confessed her love to him. She wanted to at least get her answer to her question. Does he love me back? Well she got it now.

Couple of years before she might have been angry and saddened by his answer but now that she's with Kiba, she realizes it's the opposite.. She finally found closure and she can move on with her life.

"I understand, Naruto-kun. Don't worry I'm not mad at you. You did what you had to do. I could never resent you for that. In fact you did more for me than you know. You helped me become the woman I am today. I looked up at you when I was younger, you were my source of strength, you gave me confidence. You believed in me when I didn't believe in myself and for that I am grateful. I admit I was feeling down when you didn't talk to me after that event but then Kiba came. He was there for me when I needed him. It was he who helped me get over you and I couldn't help but to fall in love with him. He became my everything." Announced Hinata with confidence she normally didn't have.

Naruto smiled and thanked her and said if she needed anything he will be there for her. She thanked him. He wished the couple good luck and hoped that they find happiness in each other.

With that they each went their own way, Hinata to the gathering, while Naruto continued his trek towards the Hokage tower.

He used his usual means of entering the building, the window. Tsunade wasn't happy with his entrance and showed by throwing the stapler at him.

Naruto shrugged at her aggressive response to his entrance, he knew she didn't mean it. This was her way of showing she cared for him.

He decided to just say what he wanted to say and hope for the best.

"Bachan I want a promotion. I've been Gennin for 6 years now and frankly I'm tired of it. I refuse to stay a Gennin for a minute longer and I'm not leaving this office until you promise I'll get a promotion." Said Naruto in a commanding tone.

He expected Tsunade to react violently towards him, for demanding a promotion from her. Or at least to have a long heated discussion with him, which would end with him being thrown towards the village's gates or something like that. He definitely didn't expect this sort of reaction.

Tsunade took out some file and took her stamp from her drawer and stamped and checked over for any mistakes.

After checking it she gave it to Naruto and said " Congratulations. I hereby promote Gennin Uzumaki Naruto to Jounin." Said Tsunade with a smile on her face, proud of her 'son'.

Naruto was flabbergasted. It couldn't be that easy to get a promotion. I mean he came in the office and demanded to be promoted and she did it without a second thought.

He decided to voice his confusion. "Just like that? I get promoted with a simple stamp on the paper. No screaming, yelling, hitting me or throwing me through the door or something like that" said Naruto.

Tsunade shrugged. " If you ask me, your promotion has been long overdue. You should have been promoted as soon as you came back from your training trip. The only reason you weren't is because so much stuff was going on, which caused for your promotion to have slipped my mind. And you didn't mention anything so the matter was left forgotten." Answered Tsunade.

He should be mad at her for forgetting about his promotion, but she was right. Back then things were hectic, with the whole Akatsuki, Orochimaru, Sasuke business. His promotion was the last thing on people's minds.

Well, everything is okay now. He's a Jounin which means nobody can laugh at his rank. 'This will shut Kiba up' thought a proud Naruto.

He gave his Bachan a hug and said he will go out and celebrate his promotion. And there is only place that comes to his mind, Ichiraku.

He said his goodbyes to Tsunade and left in a Shunshin but not before he thanked her again. She just waved him off and told him to get out of here.

"""""Meanwhile"""""""""""""

In a bar reserved for ninjas only, there was a small group of women sitting at a booth at the back of the bar, giving the more privacy.

They could be heard laughing, screaming, giggling, the usual women stuff.

These women were the village's strongest kunoichis. And they could currently be heard talking about a certain blonde.

" So, I've heard you had a pleasant evening with Naruto last night, Ino. Care to share?" grinned Temari. The other girls just looked at her, some in confusion and some with a knowing look.

Ino blushed, surprised that she already knew about her date with Naruto. But it's nothing to be embarrassed about. She likes him, he likes her. They had a fantastic first date and she's going to see him again.

Ino grinned happily at them, at peace with the whole situation, proud of herself and happy that she accepted Naruto's offer.

Ino told them the whole story. At the end of the story some of the girls had tears in their eyes, some were jealous at the blonde for nagging such a thoughtful guy and there was one who had a smile on her face.

It was Hinata who had a smile on her face. It wasn't a bitter smile, no, it was a joyful smile.

"Yeah, that sounds like Naruto-kun. He must really care about you to have gone through all that trouble just to make you smile." Said Hinata without a stutter.

Everyone was surprised at the exclamation and the fact that it came from Hinata no less.

Ino smiled at her lavender friend thankful that there is no resentment and no ill feelings between them. Hinata smiled back, understanding the message that conveyed the smile.

Temari decided to lighten the mood a bit.

"Did you do it?" teased Temari. Her statement caused Hinata to choke on her drinks. Others weren't faring better. Tenten had a massive blush on her face, her face was as cherry as a tomato.

Ino blushed but not as much as Tenten, used to Temari's teasing by now.

She leveled a glare at her. "Of course we didn't. It was our first date. We're not ready. Our first time will be special and we'll do it when we're both ready." Proclaimed Ino.

Temari snorted at Ino saying she's a prude which caused the two to start arguing again. The women just laughed at the two and proceeded to chat amongst themselves and wait for the two 'sisters' to calm down.

They did eventually and they continued their discussion about men, their men specifically.

Temari wanted to know every detail of their sex lives and compare it to her own, which the other girls vehemently refused.

Temari said they'll buckle eventually and reveal how good their lovers are, she's got time.

They talked about some normal things, about missions, about the war and about Ino's stalker.

Ino told them that she still sees him from time to time and that she sees him occasionally in the hospital, lurking.

He didn't make any move towards her, so far, so she just leaves him be. She can deal with him being around, as long as he doesn't try anything. If he crosses the boundary, then the gloves are off, civilian council and court be damned.

The girls all volunteered to help when that time comes and Ino told them they will be the first to know.

After that they decided to call it a day and went about their own business and promising to meet up again in a few days.

Ino went home to prepare for her nightly walk with Naruto.

Later on, Naruto picked her up for their casual walk. They were both dressed more casually, nothing too fancy, they dressed for comfort and not for turning heads. But that doesn't mean that Naruto thought Ino wasn't beautiful.

Far from it, actually, as he demonstrated with all the compliments he gave her throughout the night, which made her blush every single time.

Naruto told her about his promotion, which prompted Ino to give him a massive hug.

Naruto was in a state of bliss when that happened. He could feel her womanly assets pressing against his chest and he loved the feeling, every single moment of it. He was a bit disappointed when she let go of him but at least he still got the memory of the feeling.

And that's how they spend their days for the rest of the week. Ino would train in the morning and sometimes Naruto would join her and help her. Then Ino would either work in the hospital or if she was free spend time with Kurenai and talk about girl stuff and about Kurenai and Kakashi's blooming relationship.

In the afternoon Ino would continue to look for information regarding Naruto's heritage. She would visit Gai-sensei, which definitely wasn't a pleasant experience and also Sai, which was very tough to get hold of because of his duties as the leader of the ROOT. She also tried her luck with Anko and Yuugao but came out empty, just some theories and rumors, nothing substantial.

She also visited Shizune and Tsunade, even though she knew they likely wouldn't say anything but it was worth a shot.

She would first ask each person that she visited if they knew anything about Naruto's mother and father. If they didn't know anything or didn't want to say anything, she would then ask them something about the Uzumakis and about Uzumaki Kushina specifically.

At the end of her quest she managed to procure quite a lot of information but it was still not enough.

She found out in the library, which Tsunade recommended to her, that the Uzumaki's were once a very respected and powerful clan but were destroyed in the Second Shinobi War and the survivors scattered around the world.

She also found out from Gai that Uzumaki Kushina was a very youthful person (shudders) and had a temper that matched a demon's. She also found out that she had red hair which was pretty common among the Uzumakis.

She surmised that Naruto must have inherited his hair from his father and not mother, since his are blonde and not the red which they were known for.

Sai didn't know anything about the Uzumakis or Kushina for that matter but Ino had a feeling Sai knew more than he let on.

She checked her mental list of what she knew about Naruto's mother. She didn't focus on Naruto's father since his father was a complete unknown, nobody knew anything about him.

Kakashi said that Naruto's mother had red hair and was from a prominent clan. Both of these things match what she knew about Uzumaki Kushina. He also said that she was from a different village.

Ino didn't know if Kushina was born here or somewhere else, so she dismissed this information from Kakashi. Since everything about Kushina is classified, this information isn't likely to be discovered.

Everything so far pointed to Uzumaki Kushina, but Ino still had doubts about the whole situation.

She'll take her chances with Uzumaki Kushina and hope for the best. Hopefully Naruto will tell her the truth and fill in the blanks.

It was the final day of the bet.

Ino had a morning shift in the hospital. After that she will find Naruto and confront him and hopefully everything will turn out great for her.

"""""""Somewhere else"""""""""""""""""

"Is everything ready?" asked the Leader.

"Yes, the mercenaries are in position and are awaiting your orders,sir." Answered his second in command.

" Good, The Conquest begins now." Ordered the Leader.

The second in command nodded and left to fulfill his master's command.

The Leader stayed behind and grinned maniacally.

And, CUT. The story is coming to an end. A chapter or two and then it's all over. After that I'm gonna start writing my other story.

Anyway, hope you like this chapter and thank you again for reading my first story.


	6. Chapter 6

Hey guys and girls! Here is the 6 chapter of the Aftermath, I received an email telling me that some of you can't access chapter 6, hopefully that is fixed now.

""""""""""""""""""The Hospital""""""""""""""""

Ino sighed. She was tired. These morning shifts always take a lot out of her. It's bad enough she's in charge of the whole psychiatric wing, now she's got new recruits coming in and they are all greenhorns and need to be properly mentored. That's where she comes in.

And she hates it. Sometimes she wishes just to resign and live a normal ninja life, take a mission, complete it and go home to your family. But life is never that simple.

There is good news, though. With her shift over this means she gets to confront Naruto now and hopefully learn about his parents. She picked up her pace towards the exit.

She was walking towards the exit when she heard the receptionist call her name.

"Miss Yamanaka!" called the receptionist.

Ino made her way over there, wondering what she wanted. Can't she see that she's in a hurry?

"Yes? Can I help you?" questioned Ino who was constantly looking towards the exit, hoping that this conversation will be short.

Receptionist picked something from the floor, a package of some sort, neatly wrapped in paper.

"These just came in for you by anonymous sender. There is a note attached, though." Said the receptionist politely.

"Oh, thank you. Did you see the guy who brought them?" said Ino while taking the package from the receptionist.

The young girl behind the counter shook her head negatively.

"No, well not exactly. It was a delivery boy from one of the local companies. He didn't say who send them, he was just told to bring them here." Answered the girl.

"I see, thank you. If anything comes up, let me know. Bye." Said Ino who continued on her way.

She stopped at a nearby bench and looked at the package. It reminded her of flowers but she wasn't certain. Her ninja sense kicked in and inspected the package for any traps. Satisfied that there are none she carefully opened the package.

She was right, they were flowers. Purple Irises, to be exact. Only one name came to her mind. 'Naruto. It must be him, only he buys me my favorite flowers.' Thought Ino.

A note fell off the flowers and Ino picked it up. It said: " Meet me at Konoha Lake at 11 AM. Your mistery blonde."

Ino smiled at the letter and at Naruto's gesture. 'Well, at least I don't have to find him' thought Ino who started walking towards Konoha Lake, flowers in her hand.

She arrived at the lake a couple of minutes earlier than it said on the letter. The Lake was empty, no one was around, which was odd.

'He better not be thinking about pranking me.' Thought Ino who was scanning her surroundings.

Seeing no one she sat down and looked at the purple flowers in her hands. She took a whiff of their scent and she remembered why she loved them so much. The scent was addicting, so alluring, so fresh.

She was too engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't notice figures moving around her, surrounding her. By the time she did, it was too late.

Laughter erupted from around her.

Ino sprang on her feet, flowers forgotten, assuming her battle stance, ready for anything.

"Who's there?" yelled a serious Ino.

"My, my, so feisty. Have you forgotten me already? I'm hurt" said the voice in a fake hurt tone.

The figure emerged from the forest surrounded by what seemed ninja bodyguards. 2 on his left, 2 on his right and 8 ninjas behind him, ready to do their master's bidding.

The 4 ninjas surrounding the man on both sides dressed similarly and had the same symbol on their jackets, indicating they were part of the same group. They seem to be independent ninjas and not missing ninjas. The others had different clothes and looked young, very young. Probably some inexperienced ninjas who didn't make the cut in their own villages.

"YOU!" yelled a surprised and disgusted Ino.

"What do you want, bastard? I told you, I'm not interested in you, get that into your thick ugly skull." Remarked Ino who narrowed her gaze at the taller man and was paying attention to any movement made around her.

"Bastard is such an ugly word. I preferred being called Ruga. I think you'll change your mind after you hear me out." Said Ruga while grinning obviously confident in his plan.

Ino snorted. " I doubt that. Whatever you say won't convince to marry a scumbag like you. Now leave, before I make you." Threatened Ino.

" Feisty indeed, you'll make a perfect wife. But I think I can convince you. What if I said that I have people watching your house, your mother, your father and your friends?" said the evil man in his evil manner.

Ino's eyes widened in shock obviously not expecting that.

"You're bluffing; I would have sensed them or my friends for that manner." Said Ino who was racking her brain for any memories of being followed.

Ruga laughed, amused by this situation.

" Then you are not as good as you think you are but by all means leave and check it out but it will be too late by then. With one flick of my wrist your friends, your family, that kid you love so much will die." Said Ruga in his twisted way.

'Dammit. I can't risk it. He probably has some men watching them, but not on all of them. Neji would notice them in a heartbeat and so would Shikamaru. I'm pretty sure others wouldn't have too much difficulty finding them. That leaves Kurenai and my family.' Thought Ino who felt slightly dizzy but she shook it off.

"What's wrong? You don't look so well, honey." Said the man in a taunting manner.

And he was right. Ino looked pale and was sweating a lot.

'He's right. I'm not feeling too good. What did he do to me and when?' thought Ino who was becoming worried. This is definitely not a good situation for her. Surrounded by dozen men and at the mercy of this bastard.

" What did you do to me? " accused Ino.

"I didn't do anything. I just gave you the flowers you so adore." Smirked Ruga.

Ino's eyes widened and looked towards the flowers.

'Poison' thought Ino frantically.' How could I miss that? Unless it was odorless, which means it's undetectable.' Figured out Ino.

Ino growled at the man. She focused some chakra to her hands and green chakra emerged. Ruga smirked at her action. Ino paid him no mind and continued what she was doing.

One hand went over her lung, the other on her forehead. She was trying to prevent the poison from spreading any further. She didn't know what kind of poison it was, but whatever it is, it definitely isn't good for her in this situation.

Ruga laughed to himself again. He didn't do anything; he just stood there with his entourage, watching Ino.

Ino knew something was wrong. Ruga was just standing there, letting her heal herself, which bothered her for some reason. He should have attacked her by now. The other thing that was wrong to her is the fact that she wasn't feeling any better. Her medical chakra wasn't working for some reason.

"I'm sure you are wondering what's happening. Would you like to find out? " inquired Ruga who was wearing a taunting smile on his face.

Ino didn't respond and just growled at the man with all the hate she had for this sick man.

Ruga grinned and said, " I'm sure you figured out that you are poisoned. You inhaled it by sniffing on those flowers of yours. It has no odor which makes it undetectable, perfect for sabotage missions. Which also makes it very expensive. What it does it attacks your bodily functions, in short it paralyzes you." Grinned Ruga at Ino, pausing for a bit for the information to hit Ino.

Ino ignored his taunting and doubled her effort on trying to clear the poison from her body.

"Here comes the best, once inside your body, you cannot remove it. Don't worry it's not lethal or anything, can't have my wife dead before I marry her, now can I? It will leave your body on your own in an hour so, which gives me plenty of time to make you mine." A demented smile could be seen on Ruga, already tasting the victory.

Ino refused to give up. She will not be taken by this sick bastard. She willed all her strength to try and move, to put up a fight against this guy.

But it was hopeless. By now the poison was already spread throughout all her body. Just standing there was becoming very difficult.

Her body started shaking, exhausted from battling the poison, her hands went limb, her knees buckled from her weight and she fell on the ground.

Ruga grinned " You finally gave up. You lasted longer than I expected. You really are strong, you will give me many strong babies.

"The hell I will. I would rather die than give birth to your kids." Yelled Ino defiantly but she could feel the last of her strength leaving her body. It was futile.

Ruga laughed like a manicac, " And what will you do about it? You are powerless to stop me. If you hurt me, I hurt your family. If you try to run or get help, your family and nephew die. You are ALONE, all alone. Nobody will come to save you now, you are mine forever." Yelled victoriously Ruga.

"WRONG" yelled a voice from above.

Ruga and his guards looked up at the sky and saw a figure falling from great distance. They couldn't make out who it was but it was approaching fast.

The figure landed in front of Ino, making a dent in the ground.

His blue eyes were as a cold as ice and staring at Ruga. These are the eyes of a pissed of Uzumaki Naruto. The eyes of the man you don't want to mess with.

Ino felt relief wash over her. She was safe, she knew it. The moment she heard her voice, she knew everything is going to be alright.

"Naruto" she whispered, tears forming in her eyes.

Naruto was by her side in a heartbeat, holding her, preventing her from falling.

"It's okay now Ino. You are safe. He can't hurt you anymore." Said Naruto, filling Ino with hope and happy tears started escaping from her eyes.

" It looks like I can't do anything right, huh. Everything I do, I need to be rescued, I'm so weak." Said Ino who felt ashamed, ashamed to be in this situation.

Naruto silenced her by placing a loving kiss on her lips. Ino was stunned by his actions momentarily but she returned the kiss, loving the feeling, loving the sense of love and security it brought on her.

Naruto parted his lips from her and smiled at her.

" You are definitely not weak, trust me I felt your monstrous power." Said Naruto teasingly even in this situation.

Ino couldn't say anything, she just giggled at his joke, momentarily forgetting about the people around her boring a hole through her and Naruto.

They were interrupted by a yell from Ruga.

"HEY YOU! Get away from my wife!" yelled Ruga. Naruto turned towards him but not before giving Ino a kiss on the lips and telling her that everything is going to be okay. Ino smiled at him fondly and told him to kick some ass.

Naruto set his sight on the man that was responsible for all of this. The 4 guards, who were the strongest of the group, standing beside him flinched when they saw Naruto's face. The moment they saw Naruto's face, they knew this plan was doomed to fail.

The apparent leader of these mercenary ninjas recognized the intruder. Who wouldn't recognize him? This was the man that changed the ninja world.

'How the hell did I get in this situation?' thought the frantic ninja. His 3 companions weren't faring any better. They were all scared shitless.

They heard stories about this man. It is said that he fought against the Bijuus and the mastermind behind the war and came out victorious.

His speed is said to be on the same level of that of the Fourth Hokage and many other unbelievable things.

The leader turned towards the client. " You idiot. You didn't tell us the Hero of Elemental Nations is going to be here. Do you realize the situation you are in, huh? Do you?" yelled the leader of the ninjas, anger and fear evident in his voice.

Ruga ignored his comment about the man, not fully aware in what kind of danger he is.

"It's just one man, you coward. What can one man do against a dozen?" said Ruga still thinking he's got everything under control.

" You fucking idiot. Don't you recognize him? This is the man who brought victory to the Alliance 2 years ago, this is the man that defeated the Tailed Beasts, this is the man that defeated both Uchiha Madara and Uchiha Sasuke in combat. This is Uzumaki Naruto!" declared the ninja leader.

Recognition flashed through Ruga's eyes.

'Uzumaki' ran through his mind. The name that ruined his life.

The leader of the ninjas growled at his client and turned towards Naruto who was standing there calmly, waiting to see what will happen.

The ninja bowed his head and said, "My deepest apologies, Lord Uzumaki. I was not aware that you were involved in this guy's plan. Had I known that I was targeting your friend I would have declined immediately. Please accept my apology and allow us to leave peacefully." Said the ninja in a polite and diplomatic manner. His 3 partners did the same and bowed their heads in apology.

Naruto nodded at them, " No harm done. Just leave and don't come back." Responded Naruto, while smiling in his head, happy that he won't have to kill them. Killing was never his thing, he tried to avoid killing as much as possible.

The 4 ninjas nodded back and turned to leave the clearing as soon as possible.

The younger, the inexperienced ninjas ignored their warning and stayed there, which was very stupid and foolish of them. All because they wanted their taste of glory, they would risk their lives for someone they don't know.

Naruto frowned at their stubbornness. He was hoping to avoid any unnecessary bloodshed but it looks like it wasn't meant to be.

Finally, after several moments of just standing there, his fist clenched and shaking uncontrollably, Ruga spoke.

"UZUMAKI! How dare you show your face to me after everything you've done to my family." Yelled an enraged Ruga who was barely restraining himself from attacking Naruto.

Naruto looked at him quizzically, racking his brain if he ever met this man. He stroked his chin leisurely, not even sparing the man a glance which infuriated the man even further.

"I'm sorry. Have we met before?" asked Naruto who was confused.

" Don't play dumb with me, Uzumaki. You destroyed my family, you killed my father, you are the reason my family is all gone. If it weren't for you Uzumakis I would have lived a normal, comfortable life in my mansion but no, you just had to destroy everything." Yelled Ruga.

Naruto looked at him funnily. He really didn't know what this guy was talking about.

"I'm sorry. I didn't do that. You must have confused me with someone else. "said a confused Naruto, who was scratching his head.

" I know it wasn't you, you idiot. It was that whore of a woman, Uzumaki Kushina. How I would love to get my hands on that slut, pay her back for everything she's done." Shouted Ruga but didn't notice Naruto narrowing his eyes and clenching his fist.

Something else stirred inside Naruto. A pair of eyes opened up.

Ino noticed him tense at the name Kushina and her theory was starting to prove itself.

The man continued with his monologue." That filthy bitch took away everything from me, my land, my money, everything. I was left with nothing all because she wouldn't become my father's wife. That whore thought she was better than my father, how dare she! She was nothing more than dirt on my father's shoes. She was born to serve my father and nothing more. Curse you Uzumaki Kushina and Fourth Hokage." Yelled Ruga.

Meanwhile Naruto was clenching his fist so hard, blood started to seep out. He heard everything, this man, this bastard dared to insult Uzumaki Kushina, his mother, his beloved mother. The one that sacrificed everything so that her baby son could live.

" But I got my revenge on that bitch. I was ecstatic when I heard that she and that idiot of a husband of hers died in the Kyuubi's attack. Good riddance, hah. I hope you burn in hell!" laughed Ruga maniacally but was interrupted by Naruto's voice.

"Are you done?" asked Naruto seemingly calm, but was raging inside.

Ino was glaring at the man that planned this whole thing. She looked towards Naruto when he spoke. He was shaking; blood was flowing out of his hands, he was angry, no, pissed.

"Naruto." Whispered Ino.

Ruga stopped laughing to look at Naruto. His eyes were hidden by his hair, he was tense and he was shaking. He heard him continue speaking.

Naruto didn't hear Ino's voice and continued, " You poisoned Ino. You tried to kidnap her. You tried to force yourself on her. You threatened her friend, my friends. You threatened her family but worst of all you insulted Uzumaki Kushina and Minato Namikaze." He looked up and towards Ruga, his eyes slitted.

The earth started to shake, cracks appeared in the ground, the birds were leaving the forest like they were afraid of something. Ruga was startled, he frantically looked around him, wondering what was happening. He looked towards Naruto who was changing.

Yellow chakra started to form around him. His whiskers became more defined; a chakra cloak formed behind him and weird markings appeared all over his body.

Ruga flinched when he saw his eyes. He could swear he could see his own death playing in them. He started to breathe heavily, like something was suffocating him, something heavy and evil.

Then it happened. Ruga blinked but Naruto was already gone. He was in front of him holding him by his collar and slowly lifting him in the air.

Ruga's black eyes were looking into Naruto's slitted ones. Ruga could feel the power behind those eyes, staring at him, judging him. One thought ran through his mind, 'What have I done'.

" You dare insult my mother and father, you a low life, dares to insult the greatest heroes this planet has ever seen. Let me show you what happens to people who insult my family." Whispered Naruto in a dangerous tone so that only Ruga could hear him.

Ruga was trying to break free from his grasp but this man, no, this God was too strong. He looked into Naruto's eyes. He blinked.

When he opened his eyes again, he was no longer outside, no longer at Konoha's Lake. No, he was somewhere dark, somewhere that he wasn't supposed to be. The room was dimly lit by candles on the wall.

And then he saw someone or rather something. A pair of red, slitted eyes were staring down at him, judging him.

He experienced fear in its purest form. He was on his knees, breathing heavily. The air was suffocating him. He was cornered and he knew it.

"**Foolish mortal." Bellowed a great, rumbling voice. **

Ruga looked up and saw a massive fox with nine tails swishing behind him, boring a hole through his skull. On his head stood a human, Uzumaki Naruto to be exact, with his arms crossed, waiting for the massive fox to pass his judgment.

" **I have never met such a foolish human being before. You kidnapped my partner's woman, you tried to kill his friends and you insulted his reason for living. You insulted his mother, father, his family and for that you shall pay." Rumbled Kurama, his voice carrying so much Killer Intent that the man started to grasp at his throat, desperate for some air.**

"**BEGONE, MORTAL" judged Kurama. Kurama roared and used his chakra to blow away Ruga's presence from his mind.**

Outside, only a second passed. In a second , a hellish scream could be heard.

Ruga was screaming with all his might. Naruto let him go and Ruga dropped to the ground, holding his head and screaming.

This was the signal for the other ninjas to start running. They couldn't even see him move and whatever he did to their client, they didn't want to be on the receiving end of whatever that was.

Naruto looked at the man with pity. This man was the worst of the worst. If it weren't for Naruto, this man would have taken Ino and God knows what he would have done with her. He deserved every second of his punishment.

Meanwhile, Ruga was rolling on the ground, trying to stop the pain. He was screaming like a madman.

Finally after a minute he stopped. He succumbed to unconsciousness, his mind too exhausted to stay awake.

In that moment ANBU arrived at the scene. The one with the tiger shaped mask stepped forward and spoke, " My apologies. We came as soon as we could. But it looks like you didn't need any help." Smirked the ANBU who Naruto immediately recognized.

Naruto smiled at his old teacher, it's been too long since they last saw each other. He missed the charismatic and sometimes very scary teacher.

" No problem, nothing I couldn't handle. Where's Kakashi though?" Responded Naruto who started walking towards Ino to see if she has any injuries besides the poisoning. ANBU escorted him.

"He went back to Kurenai, just in case something happened." Said Yamato. " Thank you for not killing the man. It would have brought more bad than good, not to mention the paperwork." Shuddered Yamato.

" Don't thank me. Every fiber of my being wanted him dead for what he has done and wanted to do. I still don't know why I left him alive." Snorted Naruto.

"Because you are a good man , Naruto. That is why people like you so much. You are not an ordinary ninja. Don't worry about the man; he'll get what he deserves. We've already had suspicions about the guy, now he gave us legitimate cause to send him to Ibiki for some therapy." Said Yamato, who had a smirk under his mask.

Naruto liked the sound of that. Some therapy with Ibiki should do him some 'good'.

They stopped in front of Ino. Naruto knelt down towards her level.

"Are you okay, gorgeous? He didn't do anything, right?" asked a worried Naruto.

Ino smiled at his concern for her, she could get used to that.

"No, he didn't. Besides the poisoning, I'm fine. The poison will wear of soon. About a half an hour and it will leave my system." Responded with a dazzling smile at her hero.

Naruto smiled back at her, pleased with the news.

Yamato tapped Naruto on the shoulder and said, " Well, my work here is done. I'm no longer needed here. I trust you can take care of Miss Yamanaka, Naruto. I have some interrogating to do. Oh, we arrested some scared ninjas running away from this location, would you know anything about that?" Grinned ANBU, but you couldn't see that.

Naruto scratched his head in embarrassment, " I might have overdone it a little bit."

ANBU smirked and nodded at his one time student.

Naruto nodded at his friend and said goodbye and thanked him for his 'assistance'.

The ANBU left with their prisoner and the couple was left alone.

Naruto took a seat beside Ino and used his arm to hug her around the waist and pulled her closer to himself.

Ino made herself comfortable and just enjoyed Naruto's warmth and company.

They sat there, Ino leaning on Naruto, looking at the scenery before them and just relaxed and rested a bit from that ordeal that just happened.

Ino was in heaven. Apart from the poison this was perfect. With Naruto this sort of scenes just happened. They weren't planned or anything, they just came.

Just an hour ago, she was in a fight for her life and now she was enjoying herself with her boyfriend, which reminded her of a question she wanted to ask him.

"Hey Naruto. How did you find me?" asked Ino, who completely forgot about that momentarily.

Naruto laughed a bit and scratched his head. He told her the story of what happened before the incident.

""""FLASHBACK"""""""""""""

He was returning from his training with Kakashi. They were walking towards Kurenai's house. Kakashi was going there to help Kurenai and Naruto was escorting Kakashi. Naruto was going to find Ino after that and invite her to a picnic, where they could talk about his parents.

When they arrived at Kurenai's house, the duo could feel someone was watching the two. They spotted two intruders, one on each house near Kurenai's house.

With some hand signs, Kakashi and Naruto communicated with each other. Kakashi would take the one on the left and Naruto the one on the right. In a second they disappeared and appeared behind the unsuspecting spies.

They were unconscious before they even knew it. They tied them up and discussed what to do next.

"Who the hell are these guys? They don't look like any ninjas I know." Asked a bit angry Naruto.

" I have no idea. More importantly, why would they be watching Kurenai's house? Kurenai is no longer an active Konoha ninja. It makes no sense unless someone else was the target, meaning either the two of us or someone important to Kurenai." Said Kakashi, analyzing everything to perfection.

"I doubt we were the targets. They would have sent someone more capable to deal with us. They were basically normal grunts with good stealth skills. They were probably here on someone else's behalf, as a guarantee if something went wrong or something. Someone we know is in danger, I'm sure of it." Responded Naruto sagely.

Kakashi nodded and made the hand sign for Shadow Clone who will stay here and defend Kurenai and the baby.

Naruto told him that he will check out the rookies and Ino and Kakashi said that he will check the older Jounnins and notify the ANBU.

Naruto checked the other rookie's houses and found nothing. That left Ino.

He pushed more chakra into his legs to reach Ino's house as fast as he could. When he arrived there, he entered Sage Mode to use his sensory skills to see if anyone is there that shouldn't be.

He found someone on the house opposite from Ino's. He was concealing his chakra and using some sort of camouflage jutsu.

But he couldn't hide from Naruto's senses. In a flash Naruto was behind the man and with a solid chop to the neck, the man was down for the count. Using some ropes he tied the man behind a chimney and left him there for ANBU to pick up.

Naruto was sure of it now, Ino or her family was the target.

' Ino's in danger. I need to find her as quick as possible.' Thought Naruto who sat down into the lotus position and started drawing as much natural energy as he could. With the increase of energy from nature, Naruto's sensory skills expanded, easily increasing threefold.

He scanned Konoha and its surroundings. It was difficult to find a single energy among thousands but spending the last week with Ino made him very familiar with her energy signal.

After a minute or so, he found her near the Konoha Lake and she wasn't alone.

He focused his remaining natural chakra into his legs for one big leap.

'Hang on Ino, I'm coming' thought a flying Naruto.

""""""END""""""

"And that's it. Piece of cake, really." Grinned Naruto.

Ino sighed.

"What would I do without you?" sighed Ino.

Naruto smiled teasingly at her, " Mah, you would miss me too much."

Ino smiled at the joke but he was right she would miss him, a lot.

" You know, we still haven't settled our bet. The 7 days period is up. Sooo, did you found out?" asked Naruto, genuinely interested.

Ino sighed yet again. She wasn't sure what to say. Did she tell him about Kushina and take her chances or does she let him tell her everything.

' Either way, I learn the truth, the only difference is I lose the bet.' Thought Ino. 'Ah, what the hell, let him have this victory.' Thought a smirking Ino.

" I found something about the Uzumaki clan but nothing specific about your family. I found about Uzumaki Mito, First Hokage's wife and about Uzumaki Kushina. The weird thing is I couldn't access their files or yours for that matter. Everything about you guys is classified. It was driving me crazy." Said a disappointed Ino.

She proceeded to tell Naruto what else she found, from the talks with Kakashi, Gai and other people.

Naruto was impressed. She found a lot of information; she only needed that final piece to link everything together. He decided to end her suffering and tell her everything. Besides, he was going to tell her whether or not she found anything.

If he can't tell his own girlfriend and possibly his love then who can he tell?

" You know, I'm genuinely impressed. As you said a lot about the Uzumaki Clan is classified, very few people knew anything about them, either from personal experience or rumors." Explained Naruto to Ino. He told her about the Uzumaki Clan and about its destruction.

Ino knew some of these things from the reading she did in the library but she allowed Naruto tell the whole story.

"A survivor from the clan arrived to Konoha, Uzumaki Kushina. She was brought here for a special reason, to become a Jinchuriki. She is also my mother." Said Naruto shocking Ino.

Ino tried to say something but Naruto wouldn't let her.

" As you are aware during the fight between Uchiha Madara and Senju Hashirama, Kyuubi appeared and was under the control of Madara. Hashirama won the battle with the help of his wife, Uzumaki Mito. She used her advanced sealing techniques and sealed the Kyuubi inside herself, becoming the first Kyuubi Jinchuriki." Preached Naruto, continuously shocking Ino, who wasn't aware of any of this.

" Time passed and Mito got older which meant that she would die soon and Kyuubi would be free. That is why a new container needed to be found and that is where Kushina, my mother came in. Her chakra was special even among the Uzumaki Clan. She would be the perfect host." Said Naruto sadness evident in his voice when spoke about those events.

Ino was starting to fill in the blanks. Naruto's story confirmed a lot of things for Ino. A bit more and everything will be known.

" And so it happened. The Kyuubi was sealed inside of her and she grew up without anyone knowing about it. But Kumo found out. They kidnapped her and they were nearing the Fire Country's border. But then a man came and defeated them all and rescued Kushina. That man was known as Minato Namikaze or as he was primarily known the Fourth Hokage, my father."

That was the last straw for Ino. She couldn't believe it. The Fourth Hokage, the man who saved them all from Kyuubi and the one who sealed Kyuubi into Naruto, is Naruto's father no less.

'Unreal' thought Ino.

Naruto told her the rest of the story, about his mother's birth and Tobi's intervention.

" My father had no choice but to seal the Kyuubi into me. He believed I could use its power to defeat Tobi. They died so that I could live. They gave up their lives so that their baby boy could live on." Said a teary eyed Naruto.

Ino enveloped him in a hug, the poison already gone. She let him cry on her shoulders, he needed this. Naruto hugged her tighter, not wanting to let her go, ever.

After a while Naruto withdrew from the hug and washed away his tears and smiled.

" You know, you are a lot like her, my mother I mean. She would have loved you." Said a smiling Naruto.

Ino smiled at his compliment. She leaned in closer to his face, feeling his hot breath on her lips.

She couldn't wait anymore. She smashed her lips against his and let the passion take over.

Naruto was in heaven, yet again. The feeling was like nothing he ever experience before. Their tongues clashing, dueling, their saliva mixing, it was perfect.

Ino was feeling butterflies in her stomach and so was Naruto. Whatever that feeling was, it felt great. And they wanted more of it.

After a couple of minutes of intense make out session, the couple regained their breath and smiled lovingly at each other. I think for both of them this changed something in them.

Their feelings towards each other grew deeper, stronger and they liked it.

"Tell me about them, please." Said Ino who rested her head on his chest, listening to the sound of his heartbeat and waiting for him to continue.

They spend the afternoon talking about Naruto's parents, their adventures, how were they like and so on.

Naruto looked down and saw Ino comfortably nested in his lap. He remembered his conversation with his mother.

"Naruto-kun, find a woman that will see you for who you are and that will make you the happiest person in the world. The woman that can bring out your true smile is the one for you, remember that." Said Uzumaki Kushina in her brief encounter with her son.

When Naruto looked at Ino, he saw a strong, beautiful woman. A woman that cares for him and makes him smile.

'Are you the one, Ino?' pondered Naruto while looking at the sky.

I'm going to finish it here. Hope you like it and see you in a couple of days.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7 of The Aftermath, it will focus mainly on Naruto and Ino's growing relationship. It has come to my attention that I rushed things with them and left quite a few things unexplained and hopefully I can remedy that in this chapter, hope you enjoy it and thanks for all your support so far.

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine in any way.

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""FLOWER SHOP"""""""""""""""""""""""""

It was a boring day for Ino. A day passed since that fiasco with her stalker. Everything turned out well, thanks to the local hero and her one week old boyfriend Uzumaki Naruto or should she say Uzumaki Namikaze Naruto.

Ino still couldn't believe the fact that Naruto, the once dead-last of the Academy, the one that people hated with all their spirit, is the son of two heroes. Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, was secretly married to Uzumaki Kushina, who was the Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi, and had a son with her. And that son was used for the sealing of the Kyuubi in which the couple lost their lives.

Ino wondered what would have changed if people knew of Naruto's heritage.

'Would people have treated him differently? Would our friends have treated him differently in the past? Would I have treated him differently?' pondered Ino.

She still remembers her childhood. She was a popular girl, always in the spotlight, always in the center of the attention. She had everything, she was the princess.

On the other hand, there was Naruto, the village outcast and punching bag. He had nothing, no family, no friends, no place to call home. He was alone. And yet he survived despite all odds and achieved the impossible. He brought peace and stability to the land and not once did he hold hatred for his village for what they did to him, what she did to him.

Ino knew she wasn't the best of friends to Naruto. She knew he was alone but didn't bother with approaching him. She was a spoiled child; she didn't know the pain of loneliness, pain of betrayal. She didn't know how much it hurt Naruto everyday to wake up alone, hungry and surrounded by hatred.

'Would I have treated him differently? Would I have befriended him?' pondered Ino while tending on the flowers in her family's shop.

'Would his life have been better if I had shown a miniscule of kindness to him?' went through Ino's mind.

Ino sighed. Frankly, she still doesn't know what changed with her. If someone told her 5 or 6 years ago that she would be dating Uzumaki Naruto, she would strangle the person and feed them to the wolves.

'What changed?' thought Ino. 'Was it the war? Was it seeing the death of someone I cared about? Was it Sakura, Sasuke? What was it?' questioned Ino.

This was bothering her for the past week, hell the past 2 years. She would take care of Naruto's apartment, listen for any news of his return, she would pester Tsunade about any information regarding Naruto. And now, she spent the entire week searching for information about his heritage and she's dating him for a week now.

Why did she do this all of this, you ask? The million dollar question. ' I wish I knew' thought Ino.

She was broken from her thoughts by the sound of the bell ringing, indicating that someone entered the shop.

"Hey Ino" waved Temari. Ino smiled at her friend, happy to see her. People always wondered how the hell these two became friends and so did they.

"Hey Temari, what's up?" responded Ino with a friendly wave.

"Oh, nothing, I was in the neighborhood and wanted to ask you if you wanted to have lunch with me." Said Temari who was a bit bored today.

"Sure thing, let me just tell my mom I'm taking a lunch break" beamed Ino, happy to have something to keep herself occupied so that she doesn't think too much about Naruto.

10 minutes later they were seated at the local restaurant. They ordered and started talking about things that happened recently. The topic eventually became Naruto.

Ino sighed. "Temari, what do you think of Naruto?" asked a slightly down Ino.

Temari raised an eyebrow at her question, not expecting it at all.

"Definitely didn't see that coming. Well, I think he is one of the greatest people I know. He's strong, caring, a good friend to me and my brothers. If it weren't for him I don't think I would be here today. Why do you ask? Did something happen?" asked Temari.

"No nothing happened. I've just been thinking recently. His life was so messed up and yet he continued to look forward and look what he accomplished. You know what kind of lives Jinchuriki live, your brother was once one. He was surrounded by hatred all his life and yet look at him. By my account he should be hating all of our guts for what we did to him, for what I did to him." Said Ino sadly, not happy with what she did in the past.

Temari smiled sadly. She did know what Jinchurikis go through. To be honest with herself, if she was made one, she would hate everyone and everything, just like Gaara was before he met Naruto.

" I don't know how Naruto came to be as he is now but I do know what kind of hardships Jinchurikis face in their lives. I was once in the same situation as you are now. I always wondered if I could have changed something by being a better sister to my brother. I still think that was my biggest mistake I made in my life. My brother was all alone and I was too scared to approach him." Said Temari, remembering her childhood.

Ino was listening intently to what Temari is saying. Maybe she can get her answer from her.

" After Gaara changed I asked him if he hates me and Kankuro. He said no. He said that he understood our actions or should I say inaction. But I still think he feels bitter about that whole thing and I don't blame him. We treated him like a disease, a monster. Imagine how he felt every day and how Naruto felt every day. It must have been awful." Said Temari, a tear escaping her eyes.

Ino had a sad look. They were or are in the same situation. Ino was never a good friend to Naruto, she ignored him for the majority of her life, he was nothing to her, a nobody.

"I feel the same. I was the same to Naruto, we all were. But now, I'm seeing him. What is up with that? I mean, what changed? Can he really forget what happened and move on? Can I do the same? After the war, something changed and I don't know what. Naruto was suddenly interesting. He was no longer the nobody, he was someone to me. A friend, a dear friend in fact. Was I blind my whole life and just chose to pretend that Naruto didn't exist? You know how I was like in the past. I was always after Sasuke. My ninja carrer was nonexistent. All I cared about was how to impress Sasuke. Even after he left I always had hope that he will return and we will be together. How silly was that, huh!" said Ino, disgusted with her actions in the past.

Temari smiled at her friend. ' She really is beating herself up over this ' thought Temari.

" Yeah, I remember what you were like. You were weak, a princess, and a fan-girl" remarked Temari which earned a scowl from Ino who obviously doesn't like to be called that.

"But look at you now. You are one of the strongest Kunoichis in the village, on the continent actually. You said what changed. You changed Ino. We all did. We are no longer kids, we are grownups now. We are ninjas. We are the ones that will lead the next generation. Don't beat yourself up for what you did in the past. We were kids back then. We all had foolish fantasies back then, yours was Sasuke. Let the past stay in the past, Ino." Advised Temari.

"Can I really do that? I mean, what if the war never happened. What if Sasuke came back? Would I have noticed Naruto then or would I have ignored him?" asked Ino.

Temari sighed. This was troublesome.

" I have no idea, Ino. Only you know the answer to that question. But I do know one thing. Sasuke would have never changed. The Sasuke we all knew when he was a boy never truly existed. The real Sasuke only cared about power and revenge. I saw the true Sasuke when he attacked the Kages. He was evil, pure evil. I have never seen anything like that. Even if he did return, he would have never noticed you, never acknowledged you. And I think you realize that. Ino, Sasuke never knew what love was and he could have never loved you." Said Temari, hoping this answered Ino's question.

" I know what you mean, Temari. I saw what Sasuke became that day on the battlefield. He was… I don't know what he was. He was no longer they boy I used to chase. I was scared of him, petrified. When I looked at his eyes, I saw darkness, pure darkness. I think seeing him like that, triggered something in me. I think I finally faced reality. After the war I looked back at my life and I thought, 'What have I been doing so far'. I was living in a dream, a fantasy. I never really appreciated the things I had, family, friends, Naruto." Said Ino, smiling at the end.

" Naruto was always there for me, for everyone. Naruto, the one who was in pain every single day, was helping us with our pain. Did you know he consoled me after Asuma-sensei died? He helped me move on. And did you know what I did when Lord Jiraiya died? Nothing, absolutely nothing. I left him to deal with the pain all by himself. I'm such an idiot." Said Ino holding her face with her hands and sobbing quietly.

Temari moved to sit next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Hey, it's okay." Said Temari trying to help her friend.

Ino shook her head. " No, it's not okay. I was so selfish, so blind all the time. I couldn't even do one good thing with Naruto. I wasn't there for him when he was for me. Shikamaru went to visit him when his master died. He told he looked beaten. For the first time Uzumaki Naruto looked beaten and I wasn't there to help him. I'm the worst." Said Ino still sobbing.

" That's not true. I'm sure Naruto would disagree with you. I mean he wouldn't go out with you if he thought of you like that. But if he does then prove to him that you changed. Prove to him that you are no longer the girl that fawned over Sasuke. Show Naruto who you really are. You are Ino Yamanaka, The Golden Flower of Konoha." Declared Temari loudly.

Ino looked up with renewed vigor. Her friend was right. She has changed. And she will make up for her past mistakes.

Ino hugged her friend tightly and thanked her from the bottom of her heart.

"You are a good friend, Temari. Thank you!" said Ino happily.

Temari grinned at her best friend. " No problem. That's what friends are for. Now, go. Find Naruto and show him the real you." Said Temari, pushing Ino out of the restaurant.

"Wait. I can't do it now. I still have work to do. I'll tell him after work." Said Ino who thankfully remembered that she has to go back to work or her mother would kill her.

Temari sighed. "Fine. Then tell him later, just don't chicken out, you wuss." Teased Temari with a smile.

Ino stuck out her tongue at Temari but started laughing after that. It was all good fun.

After that little scuffle, she said her goodbyes and went back to the flower shop with a clearer head, thanks to Temari.

""""""""""""ICHIRAKU""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

We can see a blonde figure devouring bowl after bowl of ramen while conversing with the owners of the stand. The owners were laughing at something the figure said. They were happy that the blonde enigma came back. It was boring without him.

" And then he was caught by all those women. I swear, he was limping for a week after that." Laughed Naruto who just told a story about his late master and his many adventures at the hot springs.

The couple laughed wholeheartedly. It was always enjoyable to listen to one of Naruto's many adventures. It was amazing what he went through in his short life.

"Serves him right, that pervert. I was always afraid to go to the hot springs when he was in town. I swear, he ruined the hot springs for me." Laughed Ayame with a tick on her forehead.

"Haha, I'm sure you are not the only one. He had a gift for doing that." Added Naruto who got a faraway look on his face at the end. The couple noticed that.

"You miss him, don't you?" said old man Ichiraku.

"Dearly. He made me what I am today. If it wasn't for him, I don't think I would be here today. He meant so much to me. Being around him, it felt like I had a father. He was always watching over me, helping me. I wish I could have told him that." Said Naruto sadly.

"I think he knew. I'm sure he's proud of you, wherever he is. I saw how he looked at you whenever you two came her. His smile told me everything. You were his family." Said Ichiraku while giving Naruto another bowl of ramen.

Naruto smiled at the man.

"He was the best." Added Naruto with a big smile.

Meanwhile, Shikamaru was seen walking down the street near the Ichiraku stand. He saw a blonde figure sitting there and decided to join him.

When he was nearing them he could hear them talking about Jiraiya. He moved away the flaps of the stand and sat down next to Naruto.

"They sure are." Said Shikamaru with a smile which earned the attention of Naruto who looked towards him.

"Hey Shikamaru, didn't see you there. You were saying something?" said Naruto to his friend.

Shikamaru smiled, "I heard you talking about Lord Jiraiya and I was thinking how similar Asuma-sensei and he were."

Naruto smiled back at his long time friend. " Yeah, I know what you mean. They were the greatest, each in their own way. But as you said to me back then, now it's our turn to be great. It's our turn to lead the next generation."

Shikamaru nodded at his friend and then ordered a bowl of Pork ramen.

While waiting for his ramen, Shikamaru did something very unlike him. He started a conversation and he didn't say troublesome.

"How's Ino" smirked Shikamaru.

" I guess word got around, huh." Responded Naruto while giving him a blank look.

Shikamaru smiled in response.

Naruto sighed. " Well, she's great. Honestly, she surprised me. She is nothing like I thought she would be. I thought that I could never have a decent conversation with her and yet now I told her some of my biggest secrets." Said Naruto surprised by his actions.

" And that bothers you?" asked Shikamaru.

"I don't know. Ino was the last person I would tell my secrets. We were never really close, you know. We were total opposites. She was popular, I was a nobody. We didn't really hang out, only when I was with you guys. What made me do it? What made me tell her all that stuff?" asked a confused Naruto.

"Well, as much as I hate to say this but I have no answer for you. It is up to you to find that out. I can tell you this, though. Ino is different than she was before." Finished Shikamaru cryptically.

Naruto raised an eyebrow. Shikamaru continued.

"I'm sure you remember how she was like in the past. I don't have to tell you that. It was Sasuke that and Sasuke this. It was annoying to say the least. But things started to change after you went on your trip with Lord Jiraiya. She started to take things seriously. I don't know what triggered that change, it could have been Sasuke, maybe she wanted to prove herself to him or it could be something else." Said Shikamaru who was already thinking how tired he's going to be after this conversation.

Naruto nodded, understanding everything so far.

" I think she still loved Sasuke or at least felt something towards him, even after he left the village. I don't know when that changed but if I were to guess it was the day Sakura died." Said Shikamaru. Naruto winced at that particular memory.

"We all saw things differently after that day. I think Ino learned the truth about Sasuke, about life itself. Her childish love she had for Sasuke evaporated that day. The death of Sakura restarted her life." Said Shikamaru who didn't like to relive that day.

Naruto stared at his empty bowl thinking about the things Shikamaru said. Naruto knew Ino changed. She showed that in the last week they've been going out together. He only wanted to know what triggered the change. He had his theories and Shikamaru had the same thoughts but he wanted to hear the answer from Ino herself.

"I thought the same as you. I noticed the change in Ino the moment I came back. She acted nothing like before. Imagine my surprise when I come back to my apartment and I find out that Ino was taking care of it for the last 2 years. It blew my mind away. It made me want to find out more about Ino because this sole action made me reconsider my whole image about her. I wanted to find out what kind of person she really is." Stated Naruto.

Shikamaru nodded in understanding.

"You know what to do now." Said Shikamaru with a smile.

Naruto nodded, " Yes, thanks for your help. Now enough about me. What's going on between you and Temari? Any juicy news?" winked Naruto.

Shikamaru smiled at his friend's antics, some things never change. Shikamaru looked around to confirm that they are alone. He reached into his pocket and picked up a small black box.

Naruto's breath was caught in his throat.

"Is that what I think it is?" asked a shocked Naruto.

Shikamaru nodded," Yes, it's an engagement ring. I've been carrying it around for a while now. I just don't know how to ask her. Every time I want to ask her I chicken out. I know I want to do this but I'm afraid to do it." Said Shikamaru not knowing how to approach this subject.

" Man, that's a big step. Of course, you are afraid. Who wouldn't be? I would be scared shitless. But you said it yourself, you want to do this and I know Temari feels the same way. You two were meant for each other, everyone can see that. So, just do what you think feels right and what your heart is telling you. I'm sure everything will turn out fine." Advised Naruto to his friend.

"Yeah, you are right." Said Shikamaru, smiling.

"Good. Now, how many people know of this?" asked Naruto.

"Just you and Chouji. I don't want to tell Ino because she will blabber everything to Temari. You know how she's like. When she starts talking she never stops" smirked Shikamaru.

"Yeah, that sounds like her. Hey, I just realized something. For the last 5 minutes or so you didn't say the word troublesome." Remarked Naruto playfully.

"Troublesome" smiled Shikamaru.

Naruto laughed and patted his friend on his back. The duo talked for a bit and then went their separate ways.

Naruto started walking towards the flower shop, hoping that Ino was there.

He entered the shop and saw Ino behind the counter tending to some flower.

"Hey Ino. I hope I'm not interrupting something." Said Naruto while walking towards her.

"Hey, Naruto or should I say Namikaze. No, no, just looking out for some flowers. What are you doing here? Miss me?" replied Ino who brightened up a bit after Naruto arrived.

Naruto laughed at her comment, " You could say that. I was wondering if you would like to go out with me tonight?"

Ino smiled. This was perfect. She could talk with Naruto about the things she was thinking about.

"Sure, I would love to. I finish my shift at 6. You can pick me up at 8." Said Ino happily.

"Great, can't wait." Said Naruto. "Do you need some help around the shop?"

Ino shook her head. " No, today's a slow day. I already did most of the stuff. I just have to clean the shop before I close it for the day. Thanks for the offer, though." Said Ino.

Naruto nodded at her. He picked up her favorite flower and tucked it behind her ear and gave her a small kiss on the cheek and said his goodbye and told her they'll meet up tonight.

Ino sighed dreamily. She really loves it when Naruto does these small gestures of affection.

She looked at the clock and saw it was still only 4 o'clock. She willed it to go faster but no luck.

Meanwhile Naruto started walking towards the Hokage Tower, wanting to visit his Grandma and hopefully annoy her a bit.

'Can't have her thinking that she can relax and start drinking' thought Naruto while smirking.

He jumped on her window but this time Tsunade was ready and reacted accordingly. She threw her empty bottle of Sake but sadly missed.

"Dammit. One of these days I won't miss." Said Tsunade annoyed by his antics which he inherited from his perverted master.

"Haha, in your dreams Grandma. I'm too good for you, admit it. You're too old to tango with me." Grinned Naruto.

Tsunade gained a tick mark on her forehead but she knew she couldn't hit him unless he let her.

She sighed, "What do you want brat, can't you see I'm busy?"

"Ow, come on. Can't I visit my favorite Grandma?" pouted Naruto.

"I'm your only Grandma. Now spill, what are you here for?" responded Tsunade, secretly happy that he called her favorite Grandma.

"Nothing special just came to visit you and Shizune. I haven't been here for a few days. Didn't want you to let your guard down. You never know, when I'll do something crazy." Shined Naruto.

" I've got enough paperwork without your crazy actions. But as much as I hate to say it, it's good to see you. What have you been up to? I read an interesting report from one of my ANBU team. Something about a crazy noble trying to kidnap Ino. What was that all about?" asked a genuinely curious Tsunade.

She knew what happened from the report she read but she wanted to hear the whole story from the source.

Naruto looked slightly annoyed, clearly not happy about that particular incident. He told her the whole story. About Ruga's vendetta against his mother and father and about his plans for Ino.

Tsunade was seething towards the end. If it weren't for Ibiki's therapy sessions, she would have personally involved herself in the 'reeducation' of the man.

Nobody messes with Uzumaki Kushina and Minato Namikaze and gets away with it. Not on her watch.

"Man, I would have loved to have seen his face when you were done with him. That would be priceless. But thank God you were there to save the day, again." Said Tsunade with emphasis on again. Seriously, this was becoming a regular occurrence.

"Yeah, I haven't been angry like that for a long time. When he started insulting Mom and Dad I kinda lost it. And when I thought about what he would have done to Ino, I think that pushed me over the edge." Said Naruto.

Tsunade wondered what was up with Naruto and Ino. He seems very protective of her.

"Yeah about you and Ino. Something I should know, brat?" asked Tsunade.

Naruto scratched his cheek and blushed a bit. Tsunade grinned.

"SHIZUNE! Come in here and brink Sake. We've got some celebrating to do." Shouted Tsunade.

Shizune stumbled into the office holding a bottle of Sake in her hands.

"What? What happened?" asked Shizune who for some reason didn't object to bringing Sake into the office.

" The brat over her finally got a girlfriend." Grinned Tsunade.

Shizune looked shocked judging from her face.

"Seriously? When did that happen? Who is she?" asked a stunned Shizune.

Tsunade decided to answer that.

"It's Ino. Don't just stand there. Give me my Sake. The brat can tell us the story while we drink." Ordered Tsunade.

Shizune sighed at her master's behavior but she will allow it since it is a special occasion. It's not every day Naruto gets a girlfriend.

They spend the afternoon talking about Naruto and Ino. When they finished there were 4 bottles empty lying on the table.

4 of which Tsunade drunk herself. Naruto had a few glasses but the rest was all Shizune.

Tsunade was drunk so Shizune decided to help her home while Naruto went home to prepare for his date with Ino.

"""""""""""""""""""LATER"""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Naruto knocked on the door of Ino's house and was greeted by Inora, Ino's mom. She invited him in where he could wait for Ino to finish getting ready.

"Make yourself at home, dear. Ino will be ready in a couple of minutes" said Inora while walking to the kitchen to get some tea and cookies.

She came back with a plate of cookies and some green tea and in the company of Ino's father.

Inoichi smiled at the young man. He thought he was perfect for his little princess. He proved that time and time again.

Inoichi greeted Naruto and Naruto did the same. They all took a seat and talked for a bit.

"I heard what you did yesterday, Naruto. Thank you." Said Inora sincerely. Thankful that he saved her daughter.

"Ah, it was nothing. That scumbag deserved it." Responded Naruto while scratching his head not used to receiving praise.

" Same here. If it weren't for you who knows what would have happened. I regret not putting that bastard in his place when I had the chance." Ragged Inoichi.

Inora intertwined her fingers with his and leaned into him. Naruto smiled at the husband and wife, loving what they have with each other.

He heard footsteps and saw Ino walking down wearing a beautiful black dress that went down to her thighs, showing of her long, firm legs. The dress hugged to her body perfectly, showing all of her womanly curves.

Naruto was filled with joy. Can you blame him? He is going to spend an entire evening in the company of this gorgeous lady.

Ino smiled at her date and took his hand in hers. They walked out of the house, saying goodbyes at the smiling parents.

They walked towards that new restaurant that just opened. They approached the maître d and Naruto told them they had a reservation under the name Uzumaki.

The waiter nodded and led them to their table and took their orders.

Ino looked towards Naruto, " This a pretty fancy restaurant. It must have been hard to get a reservation."

"Nah, not really. I guess being famous has its perks besides all the ladies." Grinned Naruto.

"Yeah, you should be lucky for catching my attention." Laughed Ino. Naruto joined her.

They both wanted to use this date to ask all of their questions and clear some of the doubts that are filling their heads. But they both didn't know how to start the conversation.

Luckily they were interrupted by the waiter bringing their food and drinks. They ate their meals while talking about some trivial stuff.

They were done after 20 or so minutes. They payed for their meal and left the place.

They took a stroll through the park next. They spotted a bench and decided to sit there and just relax a bit.

Naruto was leaning against the railing of the bench while looking at the starts. Ino was leaning against him while his arm was around her.

'I guess it's now or never' thought Ino.

"Naruto." Said Ino. Naruto hummed, indicating that he heard her.

"Do you hate me?" asked Ino shyly while looking down.

Naruto looked down, surprised with her question.

"Of course, I don't hate you. Why would you think that?" remarked Naruto.

She sighed, " Because I deserve it. I was never a good friend to you when you were the best to me." Said Ino sadly but still holding on to Naruto, not wanting to lose him.

Naruto smiled kindly at her, understanding why she thought like that.

" I could never hate you. We may have never been good friends, but at least you noticed me. That was more than enough for me. As long as you saw me I was happy." Said Naruto.

"Why's that enough for you? That is nothing compared to what you did for me. You helped me when Asuma-sensei died, you were there to hold me when I was crying. You inspired me to get stronger and what did I do when Lord Jiraiya died. Nothing, absolutely nothing." Sobbed Ino, angry at herself.

Naruto lifted her chin so that she could look at him.

"Hey, that's not true. You did more than enough. You smiled at me after the Pain invasion. You gave me a smile and that was all that I needed. I don't need big words to make me happy. All I need is my friends. And you did that. You were my friend, you fought for me in the war and that is something I can never repay." Answered Naruto truthfully while giving Ino his true smile.

Ino smiled back in return and leaned back against the crook of his neck.

"Thank you Naruto. I have no idea what made you who you are now, but I'm grateful for that." Responded Ino while nuzzling further into him.

"You are welcome." Responded Naruto, holding her tightly, keeping her warm.

They stayed like that for a few moments until Naruto decided to voice his question.

"You know, Ino, I wanted to ask you something ever since I came back." Said Naruto, earning Ino's attention.

" You are nothing like I thought you were. Don't get me wrong, I love spending time with you but you are so different from what I thought you were like. I mean, you were always chasing after Sasuke. You dedicated most of your time trying to impress him. But now, you are so different. What made you so different? Or did I never know the real you?" asked Naruto, hoping that he didn't offend Ino.

Ino smiled sadly. She understood why he asked this question. She did the same thing for the last couple of years.

'Thank God for Temari' thought Ino.

"You know I was asking myself the same thing lately. After I found out about your parents I did some thinking. I asked myself if things would have changed if people knew about your heritage, if I knew about your parents. I admit, I was a fan-girl back then. I did what the majority of my generation did just to stay popular. But things started to change as I grew up. I started to take my training seriously. Maybe on some level I did it to impress Sasuke if he ever came back but on the other hand I did it for myself and my friends. I realized that I was weak and I wanted to do something about it." Said Ino while looking at the stars.

Naruto was listening intently on what she was saying. This was her moment.

"Truthfully, I had hoped that Sasuke will return and we would fall in love and all that fairy tale stuff. That's why I didn't want to believe all the stuff I heard about him, joining Akatsuki, attacking the Kages and wanting to attack the village. I was blind to the truth. My eyes opened that day, the day I lost my 'sister'. I saw him, I saw Sasuke for who he really was. My dreamy life shattered that day. And I'm thankful for that to some degree. I only wish Sakura didn't have to die for me to realize that. I was such an idiot!" sobbed Ino, tears rolling down her face.

Naruto shushed her and hugged her, trying to comfort her.

Ino thanked him and stopped crying for the moment.

" I understand what you mean. But what made you notice me? I'm grateful and everything but why me?" asked Naruto who really wanted to know.

"Why not?"said Ino, stunning Naruto.

" You were always there in my time of need. You, the embodiment of pain, were helping me with my own pain. No matter what happened to you, no matter how much hatred you faced, you were always there for me. It took me awhile to notice that, to notice you but I'm thankful that I did." Responded Ino, giving Naruto a loving smile.

Naruto smiled back at her and kissed her on the forehead. They both blushed a bit but the dark from the night concealed their faces.

They stayed on that bench for a while, just enjoying themselves. They were both happier now that they got their answer.

Naruto looked at down at the relaxing Ino.

'Are you the one Ino?' asked Naruto himself.

'I guess, it's up to me to find that out, huh. But, I'm looking forward to it.' Smiled Naruto.

"Hey it's time to go. It's getting late. Don't want you to catch a cold." Said Naruto.

Ino nodded a bit disappointingly. She was enjoying herself and the damn clock just had to ruin it.

They walked back towards Ino's house, Ino's hand in his. They were happy to be together and they looked forward to get to know each other better and to see where their relationship would go.

They stopped in front of Ino's house and looked towards each other both smiling.

"I had a good time tonight, Naruto. And thank you again, for everything." Said Ino moving a bit closer to Naruto.

"Anytime, Ino, anytime." Responded Naruto also moving a bit closer to her.

Naruto's hands went on Ino's hips and Ino's hands went around Naruto's neck.

Their lips met. It was the start of a passionate kissing. They both explored each other's mouth, loving the feeling. Ino moaned a bit which earned a smile from Naruto.

They heard someone clearing their throat but they didn't let that bother them. They continued kissing each other until they were interrupted again by a much noisier voice from the same owner.

The couple looked towards the owner of the voice. Standing there in front of the door with his arms crossed and his eyes closed was Inoichi, none too happy with the situation.

"Daddy! Can't we have some privacy, geez!" said Ino, annoyed with her father. Naruto smiled at Inoichi, expecting something like this from him and he can't blame him. If Naruto was in his place he would have done the same.

Ino realizing that this was it for tonight, turned towards Naruto and gave him another long, loving kiss which Naruto happily returned.

They separated after a few moments and said their goodbyes, promising to see each other tomorrow.

Ino went back inside while Inoichi and Naruto stayed outside.

Inoichi smiled fatherly and nodded at Naruto. Naruto understood what he meant and said his goodbye.

'Can't wait for tomorrow' beamed Naruto.

Chapter 7 done! This one was dedicated to the couple and their relationship. I hope you like it. If something is bothering please tell me so I can fix it in the future.

I also looked up my statistic for the story, it said 5500+ hits, 21 favs and 21 alerts and 22 reviews. I'm liking it. I have no idea if this is any good but I happy with it.

Anyway see you in a couple of days. BYE!


	8. Chapter 8

Number 8! I won't bother you with a long AN so enjoy the chapter.

""""""""""""The next day"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Ino yawned and got up from her bed. It was her day off today from work. She decided to spend some time training her affinity and hopefully make some progress. She's really close to finishing her elemental manipulation. She is working on controlling the flow of water and forming whirlpools.

It was tough in the beginning but with some practice she got the hang of it. Now, she just has to perfect so that it becomes second nature to her.

She did her morning routine, shower, brush her teeth, fix her hair and the rest of the womanly stuff. She went down and saw her mother preparing breakfast. She took a whiff of the smell and smiled.

'Pancakes!' yelled a delighted Ino.

She also saw her father sitting at the table half asleep. She giggled at him. He looked so funny. One hand was on his cheek, supporting his head so that he doesn't fall back asleep. He definitely wasn't a morning person.

She took a seat next to her father and slapped him on the face, playfully of course. That definitely woke Inoichi up. The weird thing is that he wasn't angry at Ino for slapping him. He just yawned and stretched his body and waited for breakfast.

'Hm, it must be something of a habit for them' thought the narrator.

Inora served the breakfast and took a seat herself. They said their prayers and started to enjoy this delicious meal.

Inora, the mother of The Gossip Queen, wanted to find out some details about last night so she pestered her daughter for any juicy details.

Ino knew her mother wouldn't stop so she told her what they did last night and the conversation they had.

Inora smiled, happy to hear that her daughter is in a wonderful relationship with a guy that appreciates for who she is. That's all she wants, for her daughter to be happy no matter who she dates.

Inoichi was thinking the same thing. He may be a little, by little I mean a lot, overprotective at times but he only wants to see his daughter smiling. As long as Naruto does that, then that's fine by him.

Inoichi always taught that Naruto was a great guy. Strong in spirit and in body and a guy with the greatest heart. The village just didn't give him a chance to prove that, to show his true colours.

Yep, he was definitely a good choice.

" I really think we took a big step yesterday. I mean, we found out a lot about each other. We both had doubts about each other and about this relationship. But after our talk I really can't wait to see where life takes us. All I know is, being with him really brightens my day." Smiled Ino finishing her recollection of last night.

"That's lovely, dear. I'm happy for you. Remember, if you need help with anything don't be afraid to ask for some help. Just avoid your father, he can be an idiot sometimes." Smirked Inora. Ino laughed at her mother's teasing.

"HEY. I'll have you know, my friends tell me I'm a great listener and I give good advice." Returned Inoichi who was offended by his wife's statement.

"They say that because they are drunk and don't know what they are saying." Responded Inora with a teasing grin.

Inoichi turned away and pouted. It's always like this. He always gets picked on by his wife and daughter.

Inora smiled at her husband and proceeded to hug him from behind and whispered something in his ear.

Inoichi blushed at her words, definitely liking the sound of that.

Ino caught that blush on her father's face and knew what they were talking about. She blushed a bit and shook her head while sighing.

She excused herself and left the two lovebirds alone.

'Seriously, they sometimes act like they are 20 years old again.' Thought Ino.

Ino put on all of her ninja gear and turned her gaze towards the direction of her training ground.

She arrived there a couple of minutes later but the training ground was already occupied by no other than her blonde idiot.

The sight was majestic. Why, you ask? Well, for one Naruto was shirtless. Two, he had the body of a god. Three, Ino was having fantasies while watching him. I think there was a bit of saliva dripping from her mouth.

Naruto smirked. He was hoping that Ino will come this morning. This way he could spend some time together after last night. Last night really cleared a lot of things for him. He still wasn't completely satisfied but he will get the answers eventually. Right now, this was more than enough for him.

She was honest with him and he appreciated that. She is trying to change her life and he respects that. In his opinion, she's already a different person. A person he actually really likes and enjoys hanging out with. Not to mention that kiss, man that was really something.

He got a little carried away there. He shook his head and tried to clear the scene from last night out of his head and tried to focus on the katas he was performing.

He sensed Ino watching him from the trees and decided to prank her a bit. He used a seal less Shunshin and appeared behind her.

He whispered lovingly into her ear, "I see something beautiful".

Ino reacted accordingly to his teasing. Her entire body shivered and had goose bumps all over her body. She loved the feeling of his breath on her body.

Naruto smiled at her, hoping for this kind of reaction. He enjoyed teasing her. It was his favorite past time.

Naruto surprised Ino with what he did next. He swooped her up and carried her bridal-style.

Ino let out a slight eep, surprised by his bold move. Naruto grinned at her and jumped down from the tree. Ino moved her hands around his neck, making herself more comfortable.

She loved the feeling of Naruto's bare chest on her skin. He was so warm, so delicious… 'Yummy' thought Ino.

"You know, if I didn't know better I would have thought you are trying to take advantage of me." Smirked Ino.

"Who knows, I just might." Responded with an equal smirk.

"Baka." Smiled Ino.

Naruto took a seat by the rived and moved Ino into a bit so that she was a bit more comfortable in his lap.

"What are you doing here anyway? I thought your training grounds were somewhere else." Asked Ino, not that she didn't enjoy his company or anything like that.

"I was waiting for you. Why do you think I put on that show?" grinned Naruto.

"Men. Always with the showing off. You just can't contain yourself, huh." Smirked Ino.

"Eh, just admit it. You loved it." Said Naruto with a smile.

"Idiot." She smacked him on his chest playfully.

Naruto just laughed slightly and held her closer to him.

They sat there for a few moments, both enjoying the silence. Naruto decided to say something.

"Do you want to do some training, Ino?" asked Naruto who was really comfortable right now.

She shook her head, "Not yet. Let's just stay like this for a while."

He smiled back at her. He lied down on the ground and Ino did the same, her head on his chest.

"You know, you still haven't put a shirt on." Grinned Ino.

"Meh, don't need it. But if you want I can put it on." Grinned back Naruto.

Ino laughed slightly, " Nah, this feels great."

They both just lay there, each lost in their own thoughts. Ino was so comfortable that she started to doze off. After a few moments a light snoring could be heard.

Naruto smiled at his blonde partner. He thought she looked cute while sleeping.

He didn't want to wake her up so he stayed like that until she woke up. She looked tired and who was he to wake her up for no reason.

Having nothing to do, Naruto also started to feel tired and sleepy. Not wanting to fight that sensation he closed his eyes and let the slumber take him.

It was noon when Ino started to stir. She felt great, reenergized. One of the best naps of her life. She looked up and saw Naruto sleeping with a serene smile on his face.

'He looks so peaceful.' Thought Ino while stroking his whisker marks.

Naruto grumbled something about Ramen and kisses which earned a giggle from Ino. This also woke Naruto up.

He cleared his eyes and saw Ino giggling at him.

"What's so funny?" asked Naruto.

"You, you dummy. You were talking in your sleep." Responded Ino.

"Oh, yeah. As I recall you were snoring while you slept." Grinned Naruto.

"I did not. That's called breathing, you idiot." Glared Ino.

"Nope, definitely snoring. You looked cute, though." Remarked Naruto.

A blush formed on Ino's face and she looked away not wanting to see Naruto's grinning face.

She took a glance at him after a while and saw him still grinning at her. Not wanting to be outdone by the blonde she jumped on him and straddled him.

"Now what you are going to do? I have you completely under my control." Smiled wickedly Ino.

Naruto smiled and said, "This!".

He took her completely by surprise. One second she was looking down at him, the next, Naruto was kissing her. But hey, who was she to skip on kissing?

She returned the kiss. Her tongue was battling it out with his, both exploring each other. The session lasted for a while, both really not wanting it to end.

They parted their lips and both smiled at one another.

"That was a bold move, Namikaze." Said Ino smiling.

" I heard you liked that, Yamanaka." Replied Naruto.

Ino didn't reply, she just captured his lips again.

They separated after a few moments and Ino leaned on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.

Ino asked,"Naruto, where is this relationship going?"

"Who knows. I like what we have now. If it evolves into something more then that's fine by me." Responded Naruto truthfully.

Ino nodded on his chest.

"You know, you still didn't do any training. If you have any troubles I would be happy to help you with them." Said Naruto.

"Actually that advice you gave me awhile ago really helped me. After that, all it took was some time and hard work. I'm close to perfecting the exercise actually." Boasted Ino.

"Really? That's fast, really fast. Definitely faster than when I did it. Can you show me, please?" said Naruto, proud of her.

Ino nodded and took her position over the lake. She closed her eyes and started concentrating.

' Be water, feel the current flow, calm your chakra and… explode' thought Ino.

The effect could be seen immediately. In front of Ino, a small whirlpool started to form. It was gradually increasing in size.

Naruto looked at her and was impressed. It wasn't perfect but it was damn close.

Ino let go of the technique and wiped her forehead of some sweat. Not having monstrous chakra capacity means you get quite exhausted doing this training.

"How was that?" turned Ino towards Naruto, eagerly awaiting his answer.

Naruto gave her a proud smile, "Awesome, Ino. It was not perfect but you are definitely getting there. A few more days and you'll be done. If you want I can show you a Jutsu for your affinity. Think of it as a reward for a job well done."

Ino gave him a crushing hug in answer, catching him off guard but he recovered fast and returned it. Ino was squealing in happiness.

"Yes,yes. Please show me." Said Ino with stars in her eyes.

" Never knew you were a Jutsu freak, Ino." Smirked Naruto.

Ino sratched her head in embarrassment. Not many people know of her addictions.

"No worries, that makes two of us. The technique I'm going to show is a simple clone jutsu, Water Clone Jutsu to be exact." Said Naruto.

Ino wasn't exactly pleased with Naruto's choice of Jutsu. She was expecting something more in the line of a big dragon or a big tornado of water or something like that.

Naruto saw what she was thinking and decided to elaborate on his decision.

"I know what you are thinking. You probably are thinking, why the clone jutsu? Well, that's an easy one. Ero-sennin always told me to start with something small. I could show you some of the more flashier Jutsus but you may hurt yourselves practicing it. You still don't have any experience molding water chakra so it's best to start with something simple. Besides, water clone can be extremely useful. It can be used for distraction, substitution or just to overwhelm your opponent." Elaborated Naruto.

Ino nodded after his explanation. She may not like it but she understands. Besides it was sweet of him to take her safety in mind.

"Alright, show it to me. But you'll have to teach me another after I learn this one." Glared Ino, not taking No for an answer.

Naruto relented, he knew he can't win this battle. He nodded at her and Ino eased up on the glaring.

He showed her how to properly mold water chakra to make a solid clone. After that he left her to her own devices and took a seat next to the lake, watching Ino trying to do the Jutsu.

Ino was cursing every time her technique failed, which meant a lot. Patience wasn't her strong suit, apparently. Naruto smiled at his girlfriend. He will help, if she asks him. But knowing how stubborn she can be, that won't likely happen.

To battle his boredom, Naruto took a book out of his pouch and started reading it. You may be thinking, 'What's Naruto doing reading a book'? You see, this isn't just any book. This was his master first ever novel, the one where he got his name from.

Naruto loved reading this book over and over again. It always somehow makes him smile. He guessed this is how Kakashi felt reading the same book hundred times over, except his was porn and Naruto's wasn't.

Meanwhile Ino cried out in anger. She was soaked to the bone. The Jutsu sounded simple but it just isn't happening for her. And her anger wasn't helping things, at all.

She was in battle whether or not to ask Naruto for some tips again. She wanted to do this on her own but it was really bugging the hell out of her. She decided to squeeze some information out of him, without losing her pride as a ninja.

She turned around and saw something peculiar. In Naruto's hands was a book. A book!

'What the hell?' thought a flabbergasted Ino.

She strolled towards him and took a peak at what he was reading. She read something about a battle between two ninjas; an assassin and a leader were fighting it out.

"Naruto. What's that?" pointed Ino towards the book.

Naruto looked up and saw an interested Ino looking towards his book.

"Oh, this. A copy of a book called The Tales of the Utterly Gutsy Ninja, Ero-sennin's first book." Boasted Naruto.

Ino's face suddenly turned dark. She was thinking something in the lines of this, ' Jiraiya= super pervert, Jiraiya's books=porn, Naruto reading Jiraiya's books= pervert'. She had a murderous look on her face.

Naruto wondered what was happening to Ino. He got the answer soon enough.

"Naruto, are you reading porn in front of me?" said Ino while crackling her knuckles.

Naruto suddenly turned pale, figuring out why Ino was behaving like that.

He waved his hands dismissively, "No,no,no,no. Ino, this isn't porn, this is a heroic story, I swear. Please, don't hit me."

"Explain." Ordered Ino, not letting him off the hook that easily.

Naruto let out the breath he didn't know he was holding, happy to have escaped Ino's wrath, at least for the moment.

"You see, this was Ero-sennin's way of changing the world. He wanted to bring peace through his work. This was his first try at it. He wrote this while taking care of his 3 students during the Second Shinobi World War. One of his students inspired him to write this novel. It didn't sell very good so he switched to something more appealing to men." Explained Naruto.

Ino's glare vanished. She was happy to hear that her boyfriend wasn't like his old master.

"What's it about?" asked Ino.

"It's about changing the ninja world. He talks about how to end the hatred that plagues the world. I've read it at least a hundred times but I still can't get enough of it."

"Oh, sounds like my type of book. Plenty of adventure and mysticism." Replied Ino, interested in reading the book.

"Yeah, it's a great story. It holds a special meaning for me, though." Said Naruto.

"Why's that?" asked Ino curiously.

"Did I ever tell you I have a Godfather?" smiled proudly Naruto.

Ino was shocked yet again. Of course, having a Godfather is a regular occurrence but if Ino's assumption was correct then, then…

"I got my name from this book. The main character, the hero, is called Naruto. My mother and father liked the main character and asked Ero-sennin if they could use it for me when I was born. And so the Pervy Sage became my Godfather. Pretty cool, huh?" smiled Naruto.

Ino's jaw was on the ground, literally. What's up with Naruto and his famous family? I mean, first there's Uzumaki Kushina, while not famous itself but was the Jinchuriki for the Kyuubi and then there's the Fourth Hokage and now one of the legendary 3 ninjas. Who's next, Tsunade?

Ino picked her jaw from the floor, " What's wrong with your family? Every single one of your relatives was some kind of a freakishly powerful ninja."

Naruto scratched his head, " I know, it's so cool. Who would have thought that me, the dropout, had such an awesome family" smiled Naruto proudly.

Ino sighed and shook her head. She should have learned by now, nothing concerning Naruto is normal.

"You certainly are special that's for sure." Smiled Ino.

Naruto smiled back, happy to have his girlfriends support.

"Ino, I want to show you something." Said Naruto vaguely.

"What?" asked Ino.

"Just come with me. You'll know soon enough." Answered Naruto.

Ino nodded and took hold of his hand. They took off into the forest.

Ino didn't know where she was going. She never went this way before.

They stopped jumping over the trees and descended to the grounded and started walking leisurely.

"Where are we going Naruto?" asked a confused Ino.

"We're almost there." Said Naruto.

After a few hundred meters they stopped in front of what looked like a memorial.

There was a stone and in front of it was a bouquet of paper flowers but they seemed to have withered and a book was next to it.

"Who's grave is this?" asked Ino.

" This is my shrine to my hero, Jiraiya of the Toads." Answered Naruto solemnly.

Ino squeezed his hand in support. He squeezed back.

"You know, I always thought of him like my father. Back then I didn't know who my parents were and I didn't know how it felt like to have a parent. But being around Pervy Sage really felt like I had a family, you know. He was there for me, cared for me, took care of me. He was way more than just a teacher, he was my idol, my inspiration."

"Those 3 years I spend training with him were the best 3 years of my life. I remember after each training he would go to a local store and buy us those frozen popsicles we both enjoyed. It made me happy every time he did that. For some that may not be much, but for me it meant the world." Reminisced Naruto.

Ino listened intently at his story. Ino only knew the pervert Jiraiya and not the Father Jiraiya. And she must admit, he was definitely a good person. Her respect for him rose tenfold after hearing Naruto talk about him.

"He sounds like a wonderful man." Said Ino, smiling kindly.

Naruto nodded solemnly,"He was.I miss him so much. He meant so much to me. The day he died, a part of me died with him. I was lost without him; he was always there for me when I needed guidance and help. He may have acted like a big pervert but he was one of the kindest people I knew."

"I know I said this before but I'm sorry for not being there for you when he died. It was selfish of me and idiotic." Revealed Ino.

Naruto squeezed her hand tightly, " You know I don't care about that. You and the rest of my friends did more than enough for me. Fighting a war for my sake is something I can never repay. You risked your life so that me and Kyuubi could live on."

"Well, somebody had to look out for you two. Without us you would probably do something stupid, like that time when you farted in Kiba's face." Chuckled Ino.

An eye opened in the darkness after Ino's remark. But it closed soon afterwards.

Naruto laughed at her joke. He was really fond of that memory.

"Yeah, that was pretty stupid. But hey, I won because of that, so kudos for my butt." Smiled Naruto.

"Yeah, your stupidness saved you plenty of times." Grinned Ino.

They both turned back towards the grave. Ino saw the dead paper flowers and wondered what happened to them and whose where they.

"Naruto, what happened to those flowers? And where did you get them?" inquired Ino.

Naruto had a sad smile on his face, obviously because of a particular memory.

" They are the flowers of hope I received from my fellow student." Answered Naruto cryptically.

Ino raised an eyebrow at his answer, confused at what he was saying.

Naruto continued, " They were given to me as a sign of trust and hope from Konan of the Rain. You may remember her as the paper lady that attacked Konoha along with Nagato which you know as Pain."

Ino had a surprised look on her face. "Why did she give them to you? We were enemies, why would she do that?"

"This isn't exactly public knowledge but Nagato and Konan, the two Akatsuki members, plus Yahiko were all once students of Ero-sennin. He found them during the war and took them in. He taught them the way of the ninjas. They were his inspiration for writing his first book. He believed that they would be able to change this world. He especially had faith in Nagato who was the wielder of the Rinnegan." Told Naruto.

"Unreal. To think that Lord Jiraiya changed so many lives. If he didn't meet these kinds back then who knows where we would be today." Said Ino who had no idea that Jiraiya was so busy in his life.

"Yeah, he was like that, always trying to help. He was a big softie when it came to kids." Chuckled Naruto. Ino joined him.

"What happened afterwards? You know, no one actually knows what happened between you, Pain and this Konan lady back then. How did you achieve that miracle?" asked Ino who really wanted to know how Naruto changes people around him, even enemies.

" I learned what true pain is that day. I found Nagato and Konan in their hideout and confronted them. Nagato was nothing like I expected. He was stuck to this wheelchair and rods were sticking out of his body. He looked so weak and vulnerable, nothing like the monster I fought moments before."

" I wanted to talk to him, to get to know him. We studied under the same teacher and so I wanted to know what made him the man he was. You know I thought I had it bad but after hearing the story of Nagato, Konan, Yahiko I felt pathetic. They were orphans like me but they watched their family die in the war. Nagato watched as his parents were killed by Konoha ninjas." Shocked Naruto.

"That's awful. Nobody deserves that." Said Ino sadly.

"Yeah. But he persevered and looked onwards until that fateful day. It all went downhill one day. The day they confronted Hanzo the Salamander, the day when he had to watch his best friend die in front of him. Yahiko died because of Hanzo and Nagato lost himself in the pain and that is what made him the way he was." Said Naruto.

"But why are the flowers dead?" asked Ino, who felt sorry for the Akatsuki trio. They truly had sad lives.

" I found out why in the war, when I fought Tobi. He taunted me saying that I was weak and couldn't protect anyone. He told me he killed Konan because he wanted the Rinnegan from Nagato. He told me she died protecting me. He actually complimented her by saying that her faith in me never wavered. I was proud of my friend, my comrade from Ame. I regret not spending more time with her. There is so much I wanted to ask her. I regret not asking her to join Konoha back then. If she did she would be alive today." Said Naruto while clenching his fist.

"That man was a monster. He deserved his fate. He ruined too many lives." Exclaimed Ino in support of Naruto.

"Yeah, I'm glad we won." Replied naruto who moved closer to the memorial and knelt down. Ino joined him and they prayed in silence before leaving.

They were walking through the forest, hand in hand, enjoying in their company.

"You know, you've told me a lot of your secrets and showed me a lot of your special places. I think it's only fair I show you some of my own." Smirked Ino.

" I trust you, so why not. You don't have to show me anything if you don't want to." Replied Naruto.

"Nah, I want to. I trust you too and it's a good way for you to find out more about me, don't you think?" smiled Ino. Naruto nodded at her and thanked her for her trust.

"How about I show it to you tonight?" asked Ino.

Naruto wanted to but remembered he already promised Shikamaru to help him with his 'situation'.

He scratched his head, " I would love to but I kinda promised Shikamaru to help him with something. I forgot to ask you about this earlier but Temari and Shikamaru invited us over for a dinner at their place. Do you want to go?" asked Naruto.

"Sure, it's going to be like a double date. We can visit my special place some other day." Said Ino, excited about this date.

"Actually it's going to be a triple date, apparently. Chouji is bringing his mystery girl." Grinned Naruto.

Ino's eyes lit up. After months of hiding his girlfriend, Ino's finally going to find out who captured his heart.

"It's about time. I was planning on following him if he didn't fess up who the girl is." Smirked Ino evilly.

Naruto shook his head at his girlfriend's antics. The length she would go just to find some material for her to gossip about.

" You know, you're also being awfully mysterious about this thing you are helping Shikamaru with. Anything I should know about?" grinned Ino mischievously.

Naruto was a bit nervous, he knew she can be quite stubborn, " Nothing special, just some guy stuff. I could tell you but you would probably hit me in response" lied Naruto.

"Hm, it better not be something your old master would think of. Otherwise me and Temari are going to have our way with you." Glared Ino.

Naruto gulped in response. He didn't like the sound of that. He tried to steer away from this topic of the conversation by distracting her.

"SO, how about that jutsu? Want to try again?" smiled Naruto nervously.

Ino gave him a calculating glaze, not liking how he changed the subject. But the prospect of perfecting her new Jutsu made her forget all about that.

"Fine but don't think I forgot about what we just talked. Remember, perverseness equals a beating." Smiled happily Ino.

"Yes, yes. I understand. Now back to training." Said Naruto.

After the training and a friendly spar, which Ino won by teasing Naruto during the fight, the couple went for a short lunch and after that they went their own way. Ino went home to spend some time with her family and then prepare for the triple date.

Naruto had different plans. It's been awhile since he saw his favorite teacher. He was walking towards the Academy, hoping that Iruka is still there.

He opened the door to his once upon a time classroom. And there he was. The most dedicated teacher in history was grading the tests while smiling.

" Man, this brings back memories." Grinned Naruto. Iruka turned towards the voice and saw his favorite student. Suffice to say, he was ecstatic.

"Naruto. I heard you are back. How you've been?" asked Iruka pleasantly surprised by his visit.

"I've been great. Sorry for not visiting you right away. I've been kinda busy." Said Naruto.

"Nah, it's ok. I knew you would come eventually. Please, take a seat. I want to hear all about your journey." Smiled Iruka at his little 'brother'.

Naruto told him everything he has been doing so far, about his training, promotion and so on.

"Ino, huh." Smiled kindly Iruka.

Naruto beamed back, " Yeah. Don't ask me how that happened, because I still have no idea. But I don't regret a second of it. I truly like her."

"That's good Naruto. I'm happy for you two. You deserve some happiness in your life." Retorted Iruka who had a fond look on his face.

"Thanks Iruka-sensei. How about you? What happened with you while I was gone? I see you are still not giving up your teacher career." Replied Naruto.

" I'm a teacher for life. I can't see myself doing anything else. Besides somebody has to take care of rascals like you." Grinned Iruka.

"Yeah, that's true. But hey at least there's only one Me in the village so you don't have to live your life in fear of being pranked." Smiled Naruto.

Iruka laughed and agreed with him.

" Any lady friends I should know about?" said Naruto while wiggling his eyebrows.

Iruka scratched his head in embarrassment. Not many people know about his relationship with his 'unorthodox' girlfriend.

"Well, I am actually seeing someone. You know her, actually. " said Iruka, slightly embarrassed.

"I do? Who is she?" asked Naruto, interested in finding out.

"Ahm, Mitarashi Anko." Answered Iruka.

The bomb was dropped.

"What? THE Mitarashi Anko? The one that scares the crap out of 99% of the male population in the world?" shouted Naruto in surprise.

"Yep, that's the one." Answered Iruka joyfully.

"Holy cow. Never saw that bomb coming. But if you are happy so am I." smiled Naruto in acceptance.

"Thank you Naruto. But she isn't the person everyone thinks she is. She is a lot like you actually." Replied Iruka gaining Naruto's full attention.

'Like me? Pain, huh' thought Naruto.

"I'm sure you figured out in what way she resembles you. She lived a hard life. I'm not in the liberty of telling you her life story, that's her choice and hers only. But I can tell you this; this personality of hers is her defense mechanism as is your happy attitude." Replied Iruka.

"I see. I always thought I saw something in her eyes, something very familiar. Pain. Betrayal." Said Naruto seriously.

Iruka nodded at his conclusion.

"You know I would love to meet the real Anko. If you like we can go on a double date." Said Naruto.

"You know, I would like that and so would she. She doesn't have many friends and I think she would appreciate a few more cherished friends even if she won't admit it." Replied Iruka caringly.

Naruto nodded.

"How about I cook dinner and we can all enjoy a home cooked meal? How about that?" proposed Iruka.

"Sure, that sounds great. We can do it tomorrow if you want. Me and Ino have obligations this evening." Retorted Naruto.

Iruka agreed and with that they finished their little trip down memory lane. Naruto went home to prepare for his date.

Iruka stayed behind and continued to grade the tests. He got a surprise visit from his lady friend.

"Hello handsome. Miss me?" purred Anko into his ear.

Iruka spun around and gave his girlfriend a loving kiss which she happily returned.

"Definitely." Grinned Iruka while tasting his lips after that kiss.

Anko took a seat in his lap and smiled at her man.

"How did I ever get so lucky to have found you?" smiled Iruka.

Anko smirked, " Well, you had help from Sake."

"Maybe. Or it could be my irresistible charm. " teased Iruka.

"Not likely." Responded Anko while kissing him.

They parted after a few heated moments.

"We've got a date tomorrow with Naruto and his girlfriend." Said Iruka lovingly, hoping that his girlfriend wouldn't mind.

Anko stared at Iruka, revealing no emotions to Iruka which made him a bit nervous.

"You told him?" said Anko seriously.

"Yes." Answered Iruka in an equal serious tone.

Anko smiled at his boyfriend, " Great. I would love to meet that gaki. I still need to thank him for saving me from that ass Kabuto. I hope he likes Sake."

Iruka was confused. One minute she's serious about this whole situation, the next she's perfectly fine with it.

"You don't mind? I mean, I did tell him our secret." Asked a stunned Iruka.

" Should I be? I mean I told Kurenai so it's only normal that you told your 'brother'." Grinned Anko.

"Thank you. It means a lot to me that you understand. You know, Naruto is really excited to get to know you. He always thought you were different than you made yourself out to be." Smiled Iruka.

"Oh? How did he found that out?" asked Anko.

"He told me he saw your eyes." Replied Iruka.

Anko smiled sadly, understanding how the squirt found out.

"You know what they say, the eyes are the windows to your souls. I guess there's some truth to that, huh." Smiled Anko fondly.

Iruka hugged his girlfriend, knowing that she's in pain right now.

Anko leaned into his embrace and they stayed like that for a while.

""""""""""""""""""LATER"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Naruto and Ino are walking down the street towards Shikamaru and Temari's apartment. They bought a place of their own when Temari moved to Konoha.

They arrived there after a few moments. The apartment was actually quite spacious.

They bought the entire second floor, making this apartment a semi house.

They knocked on the door and were greeted by a gorgeous looking Temari. She wore a long black dress that really showed of her feral beauty. Shikamaru was a lucky bastard.

She invited them in and seated them in the living room. Shikamaru came out looking elegant, totally different who what he normally wears.

Naruto smirked at his friend.

'He's really going for it, huh' thought a happy Naruto.

"Thanks for inviting us guys. We appreciate it." Said Ino kindly.

"No problem. It was this lazy bastard here who told me that he invited you two plus Chouji and his date. Does anyone know who the lucky lady is?" replied a curious Temari.

They all shook their heads in negative.

"Well we'll find out tonight, so no use worrying about it." Responded Temari.

They were interrupted by the sound of knocking.

Temari hoped to her feet with more enthusiasm than usual, showing how interested she is in finding out who this girl is.

She opened the door and was pleasantly surprised. She would have never thought that they were dating. But if she thought about it they did kinda fit together.

She smiled at the couple and invited them in.

All eyes were glued at the door. In came a strappy looking Chouji and a young woman, wearing a beautiful purple dress with a gorgeous necklace that went along nicely with her outfit.

They recognized her immediately and none was more shocked than Naruto.

"Ayame-nechan. You are the mistery girl." Shouted a shocked Naruto but also secretly happy for his adopted family.

Ayame scratched her cheek and blushed a bit, embarrassed to be in this situation. Chouji was holding her hand and squeezed it in support which she appreciated.

"Hey Naruto. Yep, that's me. Sorry for not telling you. I promised to keep it a secret." Responded Ayame while she and Chouji took a seat on the couch.

"Don't worry. It's no problem. I'm happy for you. You couldn't have found a better guy." Smiled Naruto while sending a happy look towards Chouji.

Chouji nodded in appreciation.

"Thanks Naruto-kun." Blushed Ayame.

It was Ino who decided to voice the question worth a million dollars, or whatever their currency is.

"How did this happen?" asked Ino while waving her hands, pointing at the couple.

Others nodded and leaned in to listen to their story.

The couple in question scratched their head and both had tinge of red on their cheeks.

It was Ayame who started the story.

"Well it all started when I issued a mission to the Hokage. I needed some protection while going to the capital to attend a seminar for cooking." Started Ayame.

"And it was my team who got the mission." Continued Chouji.

" It was a simple C-rank mission or at least it was supposed to be." Said Chouji mysteriously.

"We were attacked by bandits on the way there." Said Ayame, fear still lingered in her heart after that encounter.

" At least most of them were. One of them was a ninja, a high chuunin to be exact. I was caught by surprise. I didn't realize that there was a ninja hiding among the bandits. While me and my team were fighting of the bandits, this ninja tried to sneak up on Ayame-chan." Said Chouji, anger evident in his voice.

Naruto also clenched his fists, angry at the man who tried to hurt his sister.

"He came in behind me and whispered something in my ear. He said, ' You are going to last a while'." Said Ayame who was shaking a bit but was calmed down by Chouji.

"I saw him and proceeded to engage him and killed him." Said Chouji.

The company nodded in relief, happy that slime got taken care off.

"After that we continued our trek towards the capital. We talked on the way and got to know each other. When we were in the capital we went on our first date and I had such a good time I wanted more of them." Smirked Ayame.

"After that everything just fell into place." Finished Chouji.

"Well I'm glad you found each other. And thank you, Chouji, for protecting Ayame-neechan." Said Naruto honestly.

Chouji nodded at his friend and told him it was his pleasure while giving his girlfriend a loving hug.

The other smiled at the scene and at the couple. Shikamaru was happy that his best friend found himself a girlfriend that really liked him. Naruto was also happy for Ayame and also happy for himself because he's got some teasing material against Ayame.

"Well, I think I'm saying for all of us here, Ayame welcome to the family." Smiled Temari.

Ayame blushed, " Thank you. I look forward to get to know you all."

After that little introduction they all sat down at the table and had dinner. They conversed while eating, making some jokes, telling some stories about their many adventures as ninjas…

Towards the end of the dinner, Shikamaru was getting more and more nervous. The girls thankfully didn't notice but Naruto and Chouji did and they couldn't blame him. It was a big step to make.

After dinner the girls grouped together and had some girl talk while the guys went out into the balcony.

" Are you ready?" asked both Chouji and Naruto.

" I think so." Replied Shikamaru nervously.

"Don't worry. Everything will turn out great, trust me." Said Naruto in a calming manner.

Chouji patted Shikamaru on the shoulder and smiled in support.

Shikamaru sighed. "Well here goes nothing. This is so troublesome."

Naruto and Chouji went to get their girlfriends and led them out to the balcony in pretense they wanted to watch the stars with them.

Shikamaru led Temari to the living room where he will make the biggest decision of his life.

"It's so beautiful." Said Ino while looking at the stars. Ayame nodded in agreement while the girls leaned on their boyfriends.

After a minute or so they heard a scream coming from the living room. They boys knew what was happening so they didn't react like ninjas, but the girls did, well Ino did. Ayame summoned her frying pan, don't ask me how, and took her stance of a cook.

They bolted towards the living room, guys in tow and came upon an interesting sight.

Shikamaru was being strangled by Temari's womanly assets while Temari was crying apparently tears of joy.

The girls raised their eyebrow at the scene while the boys gave Shikamaru a thumbs up both for the position he was in and for the engagement.

Temari saw the look she was getting from the girls and decided to end their guessing. She raised her hand and showed them her engagement ring.

"I'm getting married." Yelled Temari happily, tears still flowing down her face.

What followed was an onslaught of girlish screams. Ino and Ayame bolted towards Temari and started to inspect the ring while congratulating Temari.

Shikamaru walked towards his two guy friends and smiled at them.

"You see, everything turned out great. I'm happy for you guys." Replied Naruto caringly.

"Me too. I can't wait for the wedding. Imagine all that food." Drooled Chouji.

The guys laughed at Chouji and his bottomless stomach.

Shikamaru looked at his soon to be wife and smiled his biggest and most loving smile he could. Temari responded in the same manner, her eyes tearing up.

"I love you!" mouthed both Temari and Shikamaru.

'Yep, the best decision of my life.' Thought a teary Shikamaru.

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

And the end. Hope you like the chapter. It wasn't my best work but I hope you like it. Anyway thanks for your support and see you in a couple of days.


	9. Chapter 9

**I received several PM saying that they can't access this chapter so I reposted it and I hope this fixes the problem for some.**

Numero 9! Another one of my creations is ready. Hope you enjoy it and thanks for reading… My longest chapter so far so I hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: Naruto nicht mein.

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""THE NARA APARTMENNT""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

"Kyaaaaa" screamed a swarm of delighted girls. These being Ino Yamanaka, Ayame Ichiraku and Temari Nara.

"I can't believe that lazy ass proposed to you" yelled Ino still euphoric.

"Me too. But I don't care. I'm Temari Nara now." Grinned a teary Temari.

"Look at how shiny the ring is. It must have cost a fortune." Exclaimed Ayame.

The girls all turned their focus on the ring and started evaluating it. Meanwhile the boys were having a discussion of their own.

"Man, who would have thought that you, out of all of us, would be the first to get married, huh. Chouji, we need to get our asses in gear. Can't have the worlds laziest man beat us." Smiled Naruto.

Chouji chuckled, " It seems even the laziest guys have their own moments of brilliance."

"Yeah, yeah. Don't be troublesome." Smirked Shikamaru, happiness etched all over his face.

They turned their attention towards the screaming girls.

"Man, look at them go. As soon as they hear the word wedding or marriage, they turn into That" pointed Naruto at the girls who were drooling at the sight of the gorgeous ring.

"Women" sighed Shikamaru.

"We all have our perks. We aren't any different. They have weddings and we have our vices. By the way, Shikamaru, where did you get that ring? I think I've seen it somewhere before." Asked Chouji.

Shika smiled, "My mother and father gave it to me. It belonged to my grandmother. They wanted Temari to have it."

"That's Yoshino and Shikaku for you. It was probably all Yoshino. She probably beat Shikaku so that he got off his lazy ass." Smirked Chouji.

"I still can't believe it. How do you make a decision like that?" inquired Naruto.

Shika smiled, " You'll know when the time comes. When I look at Temari I see my future, my family. I know that I want to spend the rest of my life with her, no matter how short it may be."

"I see." Said Naruto who looked towards his girlfriend.

He saw Ino smiling, sheding tears of joy for her best friend. He saw the woman he is starting to really care about. The woman who surprises him every single day.

'Are you the one Ino' pondered yet again Naruto.

Shikamaru saw him in deep thought, "You will know eventually. Let time do its magic."

Naruto nodded at his friend's wisdom.

In the meantime the rush of the wedding gist wore off, at least partially, and the girls scurried over to each of their partners.

Temari went and hugged her soon to be husband gave him the biggest kiss she could muster. Shikamaru happily returned the affection and whispered, "I love you Temari Nara" in her ear.

"I love you too Shikamaru Nara." Responded Temari lovingly.

Chouji received a loving kiss from Ayame. Chouji was pudding from that kiss; he always is, after each kiss from his beloved.

Ino strolled happily towards Naruto," Can you believe it? They are getting married."

Naruto smiled lovingly back at his girlfriend, "I know. It's unbelievable. But look at them. They look so happy together."

The couple turned towards the happy couple and saw Shikamaru holding a crying Temari while whispering into her ear.

"I'm happy for them. They deserve it." Said Ino, letting a tear fall out of her eye.

Naruto enveloped her in a hug, "Me too, me too."

"You know. We can't let them beat us. How about it? Want to get married" smirked Ino, which got its deserved reaction.

Naruto started sputtering and blushed darkly which caused others to laugh at his predicament.

"Relax dummy. I'm just kidding." Grinned Ino.

Naruto let out the breath he was holding, glad to be out of that situation.

"One of these days, you are going to give me a heart attack and then you'll be all alone." Responded Naruto who had still a tinge of red on his cheeks.

"Oh, that means I wouldn't be able to play with my Naruto." Grinned Ino.

Naruto blushed at what she was insinuating, which earned a giggle from Ino. He was saved by Chouji.

"Okay you two love birds. It's time for the toast." Said Chouji, who was holding Ayame in his arms.

The blonde duo nodded and joined the other two couples.

They raised their glasses, "To my best friend and his wife, the greatest people I know. May happiness bless you in your life together. Cheers." toasted Chouji to his best friend.

"And a lot of little brats running around your house" interjected Ino in an Ino-like way.

The newly engaged couple smiled at their friends and toasted with them. They couldn't ask for better friends to celebrate this with.

They spend the rest of the evening talking and celebrating the engagement. Eventually they decided to end the night, but not before promising to meet up tomorrow with the rest of their friends where they could tell the happy news.

Chouji escorted Ayame home while Naruto did the same with Ino.

Ino and Naruto were walking towards Ino's house, holding their hands.

"I visited Iruka-sensei today. You won't believe what I found out."said Naruto to Ino.

"What?" asked a curious Ino.

"He's dating Anko Mitarashi." Announced Naruto which surprised Ino, very much.

"No way. Those two? How did that happen?"asked a stunned Ino.

Naruto shrugged in response, "No idea. But he looks happy with her so I don't really care. Oh, that reminds me. Ahm, I kinda organized another double date for us with them. It looks like I'm doing a lot of that lately" smirked Naruto.

Ino sighed, "I was really looking forward to showing you my special place but it looks like we'll have to postpone it to another day. I sure hope you won't make this a regular occurrence." Said Ino but smiled towards the end. She really didn't mind going on these double dates. She always learns something new about her boyfriend and herself.

"I promise this is the last one for a while. At least I hope so." Retorted Naruto who barely whispered the last part.

Ino leaned against his shoulder and they continued walking towards her house. Ino wanted to ask something regarding her boyfriend.

"Naruto, is your dream still to be a Hokage?" asked Ino. Naruto looked down at her, wondering why she asked that particular question.

"Hm, partially yes. Why?" asked Naruto.

"No reason. Just wondering something" asked Ino. The real reason for her question was to see if he ever wanted to settle down and have a normal life with a family of his own.

Naruto wasn't fooled by her answer; he knew she wanted to find out something, just not what.

"What about you? What are your dreams?" asked Naruto.

Ino smiled, "That's easy. I want a family and a bunch of kids annoying me and my husband."

Naruto smiled at his girlfriend, "A wonderful dream. I hope it comes true to you."

"You said becoming Hokage is only part of your dream? How come?" asked Ino.

"Well, the reason I wanted to become Hokage is to become someone. I thought by becoming Hokage I would gain everyone's recognition and acknowledgement. But I realize I already am someone. I am no longer the demon child, I am Uzumaki Naruto. Right now, the title of Hokage is only a bonus for me. Now I want something else, something I wanted since I was a child." Responded Naruto.

"And what is that?" asked Ino, truly interested in the answer.

Naruto smirked at his beautiful girlfriend, "Who knows."

"Hey, I told you my dream. Now you have to tell me yours." Ordered Ino.

Naruto just grinned back at his bossy blonde partner and responded in a cheeky manner, "Nope."

Ino was fuming with rage. Naruto laughed at her and started running away from her.

"You'll have to beat it out of me if you want to find out" taunted a running Naruto which got the desired result.

"Get back here, baka. I want to know, NOW!" yelled Ino who was running after her stupid boyfriend.

Naruto smiled at the running blonde. He loved it when she was flustered.

Naruto slowed down which allowed Ino to tackle him to the ground. They rolled a few times and then stopped with Ino on top of him, smiling at their foolishness.

"I guess you got me, huh" said Naruto smirking.

"I guess so. Now will you tell me?" asked Ino kindly.

Naruto stroked his chin like he was thinking deeply, taunting Ino even further, "Hm, I don't know. Give me one good reason why I should." Grinned Naruto.

Ino's eyebrow started twitching, annoyed with Naruto's secretness, "Well, if you don't tell me I'm going to hit you." Grinned Ino back dangerously.

Naruto wasn't fazed by her threat, "Kyuubi can take of my injuries. You'll have to do better than that, Ino." Said Naruto with a smug smile on his face.

Ino pouted at him, "How about no more kisses from me?"

Now that got Naruto's attention. He did like the feeling when they kiss. He'll have to think about this.

"Hm, I don't know. I don't see why I should agree to that." Smirked Naruto.

Ino grinned at her lover, "Let me show you why"

Ino leaned in closer until she could feel his musky breath against her lips. She could smell his wonderful aroma that attacked her sense, driving her wild. She approached his lips carefully and gently, wanting to savor this.

She brushed against his lips, teasing him, taunting him. Naruto couldn't take it anymore and forcefully took her lips with his own. He didn't care that they were kissing in the middle of the street or that they could be seen by other people. He just wanted to feel Ino's lips against his own.

Ino was thinking the same thing. She loved it when Naruto took the initiative. It was so alluring, so wonderful. Her entire body shook with excitement.

They parted after a few heated moments and looked into each other's eyes, both were panting and out of breath.

"Give up?" asked a smiling Ino.

Naruto smiled lovingly back at her. He didn't respond, he just kissed her again. The kiss was much shorter but it conveyed the message.

"I'll take that as a yes." smiled Ino. Naruto gently lifted Ino into his arms, carrying her bridal-style. Ino didn't mind being in that position. She was comfortable in Naruto's arms. If it were any other man, she would object whole heartedly. But this was Naruto, the most wonderful man she ever met and he was hers.

She rested comfortable in his chest, listening to his caring heart beat strongly.

Naruto ended the silence between them, "Family." Was his only answer.

Ino looked up at him and smiled gently.

Naruto continued, "All my life I wanted a family. When I was a kid I wanted to meet my parents, to experience what other kids experienced. To be engulfed by their love and warmth. I never go that until I actually met them through the course of my life. After experiencing that feeling I want to share that with my own family."

Ino was still smiling at him and used her free hand to caress his cheek, "You'll be a wonderful father someday. You'll make someone very happy."

Naruto gave her a warm and loving smile, "You think so?"

"Definitely. You experienced a life without the love of a family and yet you are the greatest person I know. Yes, you'll definitely become a great father, no doubt about that." Smiled affectionately Ino.

"Thank you Ino. I think you'll also be a great mother. A bossy mother, but still a wonderful mother." Smirked Naruto.

She hit him on the chest playfully but smiled in return for his compliment.

They arrived in front of Ino's house. Naruto gave her a chaste kiss for goodbye which she relished with all her might. With one move he makes her feel all giddy inside which baffles her to no end. He owns her in a way. But she loves that about him.

"I had a wonderful time tonight, again." Smiled Ino.

"I aim to please." Grinned back Naruto.

Ino kissed him in response. It was a small kiss of gratitude for everything he has done for her tonight.

"I'll see you tomorrow. If you want you can join me for training in the morning." Said Ino.

"I might come by. I still owe you another jutsu." Answered Naruto.

"That you do. And it better be a good one." said Ino with a dangerous glint in her eyes.

Naruto smiled nervously back at her, "Sure thing, Ino. Whatever you say."

"Good. Now scram. I need my beauty sleep." Said a smiling Ino.

Naruto chuckled slightly but said his goodbye and left towards his apartment to spend the night dreaming about his wonderful girlfriend.

""""""""""""""""MORNING""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Ino could be seen practicing her water affinity and the jutsu shown to her by Naruto. She was doing a lot better than yesterday. Naruto was watching her from the sidelines, still confused how fast she gets things. Whatever she did so far, she did way faster than him.

Ino tired a little decided to take a break and went to sit next to Naruto.

"How was I?" asked Ino for Naruto's opinion.

"You were great. I still don't know how you can pick things up so fast. When I tried to master my affinity it took me way longer. It could be because of your perfect chakra control or you just might be a genius." Mused Naruto.

Ino was beaming from his compliment and praise. No one has ever told her that she was a genius. And coming that from a man who is her boyfriend and also one of the strongest guys in the world is definitely morale boosting.

"Really? Thanks Naruto." Smiled Ino.

"No need for thanks. Just keep on improving. At the rate you are going now, you just might pose a challenge to me." Smirked mischievously Naruto.

Ino hit him on the arm and pouted at him.

"That's not fair. I can't compare to you, no one in Konoha can compare to you." Pouted Ino.

"Yeah. I'm just that awesome." Grinned Naruto.

"Yeah, yeah. Don't think too highly of yourselves. I'm still more beautiful than you." Chuckled Ino.

"Says who?" grinned back Naruto.

"You." Smiled back Ino.

"True, true. Can't argue with that." Smiled Naruto.

"Good. Glad we agree." Smiled Ino.

Naruto chuckled at her childish behavior. He loved that about her. She can be a serious and caring person while at the same time she can transform into this funny and carefree person. She is a mystery to him. A mystery which he intends to unravel.

"Naruto, I have a question for you." Said Ino.

Naruto turned towards her, "Shoot"

"How strong are you actually? I mean, no one really knows how powerful you are. It's been a while since anyone saw you fight. Even during the war, you were on a different battlefield than the rest of us. Have you surpassed your father and your master?" asked a curious Ino. She wasn't the only one. The rest of her classmates also wondered on what level Naruto is, especially Lee.

"What brought that up?" asked a mildly curious Naruto.

"I don't know. If you look back at your life, you grew from the dead-last to the most powerful man in Konoha. I'm just genuinely interested on how strong you really are. And I'm not alone. The rest of our friends are thinking the same thing. Lee can barely control himself in excitement in finding out and so does Neji." Answered Ino.

"Never knew I was such a hot topic lately." Smirked Naruto. "To be honest I have no idea how strong I really am. It depends if I use my own power or if I use Kyuubi's power." Said Naruto.

"**My power is as much yours as is it mine. Remember that." Said Kurama in a tone definitely not befitting a huge demon fox.**

"It's not the same. You have your power and I have mine. It's true when I use your power that our chakras combine but it is still different. I worked hard for the past 2 years so that I can be recognized for my own power and not yours. I want to find my own way in life." Answered Naruto humbly.

"**Which I understand. But we are linked whether we like it or not. We live and we will die together. That is our fate." Said Kurama.**

"I know that and I don't mind that. I might have not realized that before but living with you wasn't so bad. True, there were some downsides which we both know what they were but if it weren't for you I would have died a thousand times over. Peace wouldn't be achieved and Madara would have ruled the world. But I would also liked to be known for my power and not because I have you inside of me, you know." Answered back Naruto.

"**I understand. The time will come. I know it." Answered Kurama who went back to his slumber.**

"Thanks Kurama. Glad to have you around." Smiled Naruto in his mind.

Ino was waiting for Naruto to finish up with his conversation with his tenant. She was used to Naruto spacing out sometimes; it's all part of his charm she guessed.

"Finished?" asked Ino.

Naruto opened his eyes and nodded, "Yeah, just something needed to be taken care of. To answer your question, I think if I use Kyuubi's power I am probably one of the strongest person on this planet. I'm not trying to gloat or anything but people don't actually really realize how powerful he really is. They heard legends of him and stories but when you actually feel and use his power it's so different. I can't really explain it. It feels so majestic, so powerful. You feel like you can do anything." Answered an excited Naruto.

Ino nodded, she felt the power of Kyuubi and she had to say it was nothing she had ever felt before. And to actually be able to use that power, it must be indescribable.

"And without his power?" continued Ino.

"I know I am stronger than Kakashi-sensei now. I fought and beat him in our previous spars. But other than that I have no idea. I would need to fight someone as strong as Ero-sennin to really know. I know I'm definitely not as strong as my father was. He was on a whole other level from the rest of the world. I stil have long way to go until I reach his level." Answered Naruto, showing how proud of his father he is.

"I see. Can you show me your power?" asked Ino kindly.

Naruto stared at her wondering why is she so fascinating with his strength.

He shrugged his shoulder, "I guess I could. I see no harm in showing you my strength." Responded Naruto.

He stood up and stood a few meters away from Ino, "How do you want to do this?"

"Just build up your chakra. I'm part sensor. I can feel how powerful you are by feeling your chakra." Retorted Ino.

Naruto raised an eyebrow; he didn't know that she was a sensor. He knew that her father was one so he guessed it must be a family thing.

"Alright, here goes." Said Naruto who clenched his fists and tensed his muscles. He focused on bringing out his chakra, as much as he could.

The wind started to pick up, shaking the trees around them. A light quake could be felt, surrounding them. Blue chakra swirled around Naruto, enveloping him. The force from the chakra actually started to push Ino away from Naruto.

Ino was amazed. She knew he had enormous chakra pool because of his status as a Jinchuriki but this was unbelievable. It was enormous, perhaps on the level of a Tailed Beast itself.

After a minute or so Naruto stopped his chakra flow, sweating a bit but nothing he couldn't handle. The gust of wind subsided and the animals came out of hiding.

"Was that good enough?" asked Naruto.

Ino could only nod dumbly. Her eyes were wide in fascination and surprise.

Naruto chuckled at her expression and scratched his head, a bit embarrassed by her staring.

Ino managed to recover and she giggled sheepishly.

"That was awesome." Yelled Ino vigorously. " I don't know how powerful your father really was but you can't be far off. I have never seen a ninja with so much power inside of them."

Naruto smiled widely at his girlfriend proclamation. It felt good to be praised and by Ino no less.

"Thanks Ino. I guess my training worked out, huh." Chuckled Naruto sheepishly while starching the back of his head.

"More than you know." Answered a proud Ino. Proud of her boyfriend and all he accomplished so far.

"Can you show me Kyuubi's power now? Please? Pretty please?" pleaded Ino.

Naruto was a bit nervous. He didn't like to flaunt Kyuubi's power and neither did Kurama.

"**Just this once, kid." Answered Kurama for him.**

"Are you sure?" asked Naruto again.

"**Yeah, yeah. Do it before I change my mind. And for the love of God, put up a barrier unless you want to scare the whole village." Bellowed Kurama in his strong voice.**

Naruto sighed. If Kurama doesn't mind then why not?

Naruto took out a few kunais out of his pouch and threw them in all directions. The kunais all had special seals inscribed on them allowing Naruto to form a strong barrier which masks all chakra used inside the barrier, even chakra as powerful as Kyuubi's.

Ino was confused at Naruto's actions and Naruto noticed this, "Don't worry. I'm just setting up a barrier so that I don't give the village and Grandma a heart attack." Grinned Naruto.

Ino nodded and prepared herself for the show that's about to come.

Naruto took a deep breath and established a mental link with the Kyuubi. Kyuubi started channeling his chakra to Naruto who was merging it with his own.

Nothing happened for a few moments, Ino was starting to get impatient. Then it happened.

Yellow chakra started pouring out of Naruto's body, spreading through the field. If Ino didn't use chakra to ground herself she would have been blown away. Even with chakra she was having difficulties holding on.

The onslaught of chakra crashed against a few trees, destroying them in the process. The chakra avoided Ino, it went around her. It seems Naruto was somehow in control of this gigantic chakra.

Naruto started to transform. Strange tribal markings appeared on his body. His whisker marks became much more defined. Around his neck was a necklace of some sort with six magatama. A cloak of chakra formed on Naruto's back. "Demon" was inscribed on it in Kanji.

His eyes became that of the fox he holds, indicating that he was using his power.

It seems this chakra formed a protective shroud of sort around Naruto, seemingly protecting him.

Ino was in awe. She saw this form before when he fought that pig of a man but that was only for a few seconds. Now, she can truly appreciate the power in front of her.

Naruto smiled, "This is it. My Kyuubi Mode."

Ino rushed towards him, inspecting him from all angles. Naruto felt a bit weird, being evaluated by Ino definitely wasn't what he had in mind for today but truthfully he didn't mind that much.

"Amazing." Whispered Ino. "This is incredible. No wonder you beat Tobi. It feels so warm and beautiful. It was nothing like I expected."

Naruto grinned a bit, "I know. I felt the same way when I first used it."

"But why doesn't it feel evil? When you used Kyuubi's chakra before it always felt so full of malice and anger but now it feels so full of light and love." Asked a stunned Ino.

"Kyuubi's chakra is full of life force. Before it fed on my anger, now it feeds on my love." Responded a smiling Naruto.

He took a deep breath and the chakra receded back much to the disappointment of Ino.

Ino whined, "Ooohhh, I wanted to see more." Pouted Ino.

Naruto chuckled at her whining face, "That's enough for now. This power isn't for showing off. You should thank Kyuubi for even agreeing to it in the first place."

Ino sighed, definitely not happy but at least she got a glimpse of it, "I know. But it was so awesome. I really wanted to see your full transformation."

"Another time, maybe. I think it's time for us to go. We have to meet up with Shikamaru and Temari and the rest of the gang." Reminded Naruto Ino.

"Right." Perked up Ino.

Naruto dropped the Barrier and they left the clearing and went to prepare themselves for the happy announcement.

"""""""""""""""""""""LATER"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

The Rookies were gathered at their usual spot in the Akimichi restaurant. They were currently chatting away, catching up, gossiping about recent rumors while waiting for Temari and Shikamaru.

All except the blonde couple and Chouji and Ayame, were wondering the reason for this gathering.

Ayame was feeling a bit nervous in the company of Chouji's and Naruto's friends. She knew them all before. She met them all when they came to eat at her family's ramen stand. But this was different. She felt like she didn't belong here.

But the Rookies quickly eased her doubts and nervousness. They welcomed her into their little group with open arms which Chouji really appreciated.

After a while Ayame started to relax and tell her own stories and adventures. It did help that she had a lot of embarrassing things to say about Chouji and especially Naruto.

10 minutes later the anxiously awaited couple arrived, walking hand in hand, both wearing huge grins on their faces.

The group greeted the lazy couple.

Temari turned towards her fiancé and smiled at him. Shikamaru nodded and took a deep breath, "Everyone, there is something we have to tell you all." Started Shika.

The group listened in closely. The two couples that already knew smiled happily at the engaged couple and couldn't wait to see everyone's response.

Temari continued where Shika left off. She raised her hand and showed her beautiful diamond ring, "We're getting married". And then chaos broke loose.

Tenten and surprisingly also Hinata jumped from their seats and were upon Temari in a flash, hugging her and eyeing the ring while crying tears of joy. The guy's jaws were on the floor, all stunned speechless by the news.

They couldn't believe that Shikamaru got of his lazy ass and proposed to Temari. It was so unlike him to do anything like that. Nonetheless they were happy for them and went on to congratulate the soon to be husband and wife.

Neji shook Shika's hand and congratulated him. Kiba was as loud as ever in his congratulations. Lee was a bit different. He was crying.

Naruto asked him if he was okay. He got his response soon enough and he wished he didn't ask.

"YOSHHHH. Your fires of youth are burning brightly. Your love can ignite the entire village. I'm so happpyyyyy." Cried Lee in his exuberant manner.

Others sweat dropped at his usual reaction but knew that was his way of showing that he was really happy.

The group celebrated the happy news. The girls started planning the wedding while the guys were talking about the bachelor party. Kiba came up with some crazy ideas that the guys thought would be really great and fun to do. Shikamaru asked Chouji to be his best man which he happily agreed to.

The ladies were having an interesting conversation, at least for them it was. They were talking about all the different wedding things like the band, the caterer, the location, the priest and so on. The topic eventually switched to bridesmaids.

"Ino, would you be my maid of honor?" asked a smiling Temari.

Ino beamed at her blonde friend, "Yes. God, yes. It would be my pleasure."

"Good. I'm counting on you." Responded a happy Temari.

She also made Tenten and Hinata her other bridesmaids which made them very happy and honoured.

"Did you set the date yet?" asked Ino.

"We did actually. 1st of October, the day my Mother was born." Smiled Temari.

Ino nodded and smiled caringly at her friend. Temari's Mom was a touchy subject for her. She died giving birth to her brother which made it that more sensitive. Ino knew Temari would love for her Mother and Father to be on her wedding but alas that won't be able to happen.

"Did you tell your brothers yet?" said Ino trying to switch the topic.

"I send a messenger Hawk this morning. I should get a response by the end of the week." Answered Temari.

"Man, I bet they'll flip out. Well, at least Kankuro will. Not too sure about Gaara, though. He is very protective of me after he underwent that change." Said Temari smiling at the thought of her brothers finding out.

"You don't have to worry about that. I'm sure he'll be thrilled. He knows Shikamaru is the right one for you. You'll see." Responded Ino. Tenten and Hinata nodded in agreement.

The group continued to make light chatter until they decided to part ways. The girls promised to meet every day to start preparing for the weeding. Shikamaru was glad to hear that. He definitely didn't want to be part of the preparation process, too much work.

Ino told Naruto to pick her up at 8 for their double date. Naruto nodded and went to the Training Ground 15 where he was supposed to meet Konohamaru and his team for some training.

Ino went to her family's shop. She promised to help with the new shipment of flowers that came in today.

""""""""""""""""""""TRAINING GROUND"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

"Hey Boss" yelled Konohamaru and the rest of the group.

"Hey guys. I hope you didn't wait too long. I had some important stuff to take care of." Responded Naruto.

They all shook their heads. They just got there themselves and were just warming up for their training session.

"What will we be doing today?" asked a hyper Konohamaru.

Udon, Hanabi and Moegi, who joined them for today's special training with Naruto, all leaned in closer to hear all about the awesome training they will be doing.

"Well, I thought we could do some Teamwork exercises." Mused Naruto with a grin.

The young ninjas deflated at the news. Naruto laughed out loud at their response. It reminded him of his childhood.

"I'm just kidding. Ebisu can take care of that. We'll be working on our Taijutsu for the next hour. The hour after that will be spent on your individual training." Said Naruto still chuckling a bit.

They all perked up at Naruto's idea. It sounded great to them. Even Hanabi had a cheerful smile on her face instead of her stoic one.

Naruto made 4 clones and had them spar with them while he would watch them and correct their faults and help them with their stances. He may not be a Taijutsu master but he knew a thing or two about fighting hand-to-hand.

He fought against several Hyuuga ninjas so he knew how to help Hanabi. Moegi had a similar style to Sakura, may she rest in peace, so that area was covered. Konohamaru was using his Grandpa's Monkey style which Naruto had no idea about. He would show him what he was doing wrong and how to correct so that he doesn't leave too many gaps in his defense.

Udon was primarily a mid to long-range fighter so his Taijutsu was below his teammates. Naruto focused primarily on his defense since he isn't a front line fighter.

After an hour of intense sparring with Naruto's clones left them exhausted. They were panting and sweating like never before. They pushed themselves too far trying to impress Naruto.

Naruto knew they were trying their best and was proud of them. They were evolving into amazing Ninjas. They all had potential to become top tier Shinobi.

"Great job. You did well. Take 10 minutes to rest a bit and then we'll continue with your individual training." Said a smiling Naruto.

After that Naruto made another 4 clones. Moegi worked on evasion since that is essential for a Medical Ninja. Udon worked on long range techniques and Weapon throwing. Hanabi worked on improving her reflexes without the use of Byakugan. Kono continued to work on the Oodama Rasengan which so far yielded no results whatsoever.

Naruto told him that it will take quite some time before he manages to master this upgraded version of the Rasengan.

After that Naruto decided to have a 4 on 1 fight to improve their teamwork a bit. He thought it would be a great exercise for them, especially because all 4 of them would be highly motivated to beat him.

Suffice to say, they didn't manage to land a single hit. They tried everything on him, sneak attacks, traps, Genjutsu and nothing. They realized how much stronger Naruto is than them. They weren't depressed by that instead it made them even more determined to get stronger.

Naruto told them he was proud of them and if they want to do this again, to let him know.

They bid goodbye to each other and Naruto left towards his apartment to prepare for the double date.

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""TIME OF THE DATE""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

The blonde couple knocked on the door both looking devilishly handsome, Ino more than Naruto obviously.

They were greeted by Iruka wearing his formal ninja attire which the couple agreed on that it looked good on him.

"Come in, please." Invited Iruka with a smile, happy to see his protégé happy with his gorgeous looking girlfriend.

Naruto and Ino smiled at the man and proceeded to walk into his humble abode. Iruka showed them the way to the living room where they would wait for the dinner to be ready.

They took a seat at the couch and chatted away.

After a while someone joined them. In came someone very different from what Naruto and Ino expected.

It was Anko, but she looked so different. Gone were the mesh shirt and her beige coat. Instead she wore a short black dress that actually looked very good on her. She was a very beautiful woman, if only she showed it more often.

"Anko-sensei? Is that really you? You look… beautiful." Said a stunned Naruto. Ino nodded in agreement. She too was surprised by the new look.

"Hey gaki. Thanks. You better not tell anyone you saw me like this or there will be Hell to pay. Understood?" threatened Anko in all her glory.

Gone was the moment of awestruck from Naruto. It was replaced by fear, pure fear.

Naruto gulped and said nervously, "Yeah, no problem."

"Good." Grinned Anko who went and sat in Iruka's lap.

"I'm sure you have a lot of questions judging from your looks, so shoot." Chuckled Iruka, holding Anko tenderly.

Ino went first, "How long have you two been together?"

"How long is it now, honey?" asked Iruka turning towards his stunning girlfriend.

Anko shrugged her shoulder, "Who knows. I don't really care. It could be a couple of months, maybe more." Iruka nodded.

"How?" asked Naruto next.

Anko wanted to say something but Iruka spoke first, " I found her eating Dango and drinking Sake, you know the usual." Smirked Iruka which got an elbow in the ribs for a response from Anko.

Iruka continued despite the punishment from his girlfriend, " I took a seat next to her. She promptly told me to take a hike." This got a few laughs from Ino, Naruto and Anko.

"I refused and ordered Sake for myself. We didn't really talk until we both got very drunk. After a few drinks our tongues got loose and we started talking about our lives as ninjas. We actually had a good time. We laughed, shouted, bickered, you know the regular things." Grinned Iruka.

Naruto nodded at his friend, following so far.

"After that, we had a few similar nights like that, nothing special. We mostly just talked and got to know each other." Said Iruka.

"And then I bagged him." Smirked Anko, licking her lips.

Naruto and Ino both blushed, while Iruka just chuckled at her girlfriend.

"She didn't mean that way." Said Iruka trying hard not to laugh at the young and inexperienced couple.

"She kidnapped me, sort of. One night she put a bag over my head and led me to her secret place. We had our first date there and that was the true start of our relationship." Said a smiling Iruka.

Anko snorted at the blonde duo, "What? You think I have sex with every guy I see?"

"Of course not. I tend to ignore the people trying to spread rumors about you. They are just jealous or in some cases hurt because you rejected them. I have a few of those too so I know at least partially how it feels like." Responded Ino truthfully.

Anko looked towards Ino and analyzed her, searching for any signs of deception. She found none which pleased her somewhat. At least she isn't one of 'those' people.

"Good. Because I'll have you know Iruka was my second ever." Proclaimed Anko loudly which earned another blush from the younger ninja while Iruka just shook his head.

"Honey, that's supposed to be private." Said Iruka sighing.

"I don't care." Huffed Anko. Iruka just chuckled and enveloped her in a hug from behind which she appreciated.

"Well I for one am glad you two are dating." Beamed Naruto, smiling all the way.

Anko turned towards the young blond and gave him a small smile, "You know, Iruka thinks highly of you which means I mean highly of you. Thanks, gaki."

"Anytime. Just keep making him smile. That is my wish." Smiled Naruto.

Anko nodded at him and grinned at him, "What about you two?"

Ino told them their story, leaving out some parts that she considered to be too personal.

Iruka was smiling happily throughout the story, happy to hear that Naruto found someone that made him happy.

"Man, you are one lucky girl, you know that. Just imagine all that stamina, he must be a monster in the sack." Teased and grinned Anko. Iruka laughed at his partner and her teasing.

Ino and Naruto were both feeling very embarrassed and their faces were heating up more than ever before. Ino took a step further. Images assaulted her mind, Naruto's body over hers, both sweating and panting…

Ino shook her head, desperately trying to rid herself of those thoughts. Anko laughed even harder seeing Ino shaking her head, knowing full well what was happening to her.

Iruka saved the blondes from further embarrassment, "Honey, give them a break. There will be time for teasing later." Anko pouted. She was just starting to have some fun with the young couple. This was her drug, come on Iruka!

"Fine, fine. I'll stop, for now." Grinned Anko.

The blondes sighed but chuckled at her childish antics.

"You know, brat, I still have to thank you for saving me during the war." Said Anko kindly and in a very caring tone.

Naruto noticed this and saw a new side of Anko. A side hidden by that mask of hers just like his. He smiled at her, "No need for thanks. You would have done the same for me."

Ino was a bit confused, she didn't know that Naruto saved her, " I'm guessing there is a story behind all of this."

Anko nodded and started to explain, "Yeah, the gaki found me while I was unconscious from battling Kabuto."

"I was on my way to find and battle Sasuke when I felt Anko's chakra nearby. I found her in some sort of cave which was basically almost destroyed completely. I'm guessing that is where Kabuto fought Sasuke and Itachi, at least that's what I learned from Sasuke. I found Anko in the middle of the cave surrounded by her snakes which seemed to have protected her from any damage." Continued Naruto who got sad during the Sasuke part which Ino noticed and took hold of his hand and caressed it gently.

Anko and Iruka smiled at their affection. They looked good together, in their opinion.

"I woke up in the Medical Tent in the HQ. The nurse told me who brought me in and told me I was lucky. If I were brought an hour later I would have probably died from that poison." Finished Anko.

"As I said, nothing special." Said Naruto humbly.

"No, I owe you my life. And for that I am in your debt for the rest of my life." Said Anko seriously.

"And me. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't have met this wonderful woman." Smiled Iruka happily. Anko gave him a loving kiss in return and smiled at him.

"No thanks needed. I would do that for any of my friends." Responded Naruto.

Anko turned towards him and was a bit surprised at his words, " You think of me as one of your friends? We barely know each other."

Naruto smiled, "I know enough. You are like me and that's more than enough for me. You have a friend in me as long as I live."

"Me too." Chirped in happily Ino.

Anko's heart felt warm. 'This is love, huh' thought Anko, a tear falling out of her eyes.

Iruka mouthed a "Thank you" to both Ino and Anko, happy that they see Anko as their friend. She needs more friends in her life.

"Thank you, both." Smiled Anko.

After that the dinner was ready and they made their way to the dining room. They enjoyed their meal while telling each other little about themselves and about their relationships.

They spoke about Kurenai and Kakashi and their relationship and how happy they were together. Anko smiled approvingly at their relationship obviously very happy that her 'sister' found such a good man. She was worried for her that she will stay alone after Asuma's death.

Ino told them about Temari and Shika's marriage. The older Ninjas were happy to hear that those two found each other and that they were enjoying life to the fullest.

The evening eventually ended. Ino and Naruto went towards Ino's house while the other couple went to bed together.

Naruto and Ino were kissing in front of Ino's house. Neither wanted to let the other go, both enjoying this too much.

Eventually they had to part, simply because they had to breathe.

They rested their foreheads together and looked each other in the eyes, both smiling lovingly.

"You get more beautiful every day." Smiled Naruto.

Ino blushed, "You know, you are spoiling me with your compliments."

"I can't help it if they are true." Beamed Naruto.

Ino kissed him again, no longer able to resist him. Naruto happily returned it.

After a few moments they parted once again.

"Do you want to come in? We can watch a movie or something. If you want you can also sleep at my house tonight." Proposed a nervous Ino. She never had a man stay over her house before. She didn't plan on doing anything she isn't ready for but still it was quite a huge step.

"Are you sure? I don't want to make you uncomfortable or anything." Asked Naruto who was also very nervous. Here he was, being asked to sleep over at a girl's house. He had no idea what to do.

"Yes. Besides we already slept together that day on the fields so this won't be that different, right?" smiled Ino.

Naruto nodded a bit more surely than before, "What about your parents?"

"Don't worry about them. They won't mind. If they do I'll talk to them ." Said Ino.

"Alright. Let's give it a go. Shall we?" smiled Naruto.

They took a seat on the couch in the living room. Ino put in a Princess Gale movie. Naruto made some popcorn and some drinks for them to enjoy during the movie.

They huddled up together under a blanket and watched the movie in silence. Ino got another surprise that night. She saw Naruto in the movie alongside the Princess. Naruto smiled sheepishly and told her about that mission in the Snow Country.

Ino sighed. She just found out that her boyfriend was a hero to yet another country. Seriously, he was more famous than their own Kage, for Christ Sakes.

Eventually they both fell asleep, both very tired from the today's events.

In the morning, Inora and Inoichi both came upon this lovely scene. Ino was sleeping against Naruto's chest, her legs intertwined with his. Naruto's head was on hers and he had a small smile on his face and so did Ino.

Inora smiled at her daughter and her boyfriend. They looked so cute together. Inoichi wasn't exactly thrilled to see Naruto sleeping over but he trusted his daughter to make the right decision. Besides he didn't have the heart to ruin this moment for them. Ino was her own woman and it is up to her to decide how she will live her life.

The parents retreated into the garden, leaving the couple alone, to enjoy themselves a while longer.

Ino snuggled deeper into Naruto, smiling all the way.

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""FAR AWAY""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

A small crack formed on a strange mountain, perhaps a sign of bad things to come.

The end! Chapter done. Hope you liked it. If you have any problems with my writing or with the story itself please feel free to tell me.

See yaa!


	10. Chapter 10

**I reposted it because once again some people have problem with accesing this particular chapter. I also fixed some grammar mistakes. I think there are still some but I'm too lazy to find them and fix them. If you think I should divide the chapter into more paragraphs to make it easier to read, please tell me so I can fix it.**

Here's the next one! Thanks for reading so far, I planned this story to be 4-5 chapters top and now it's already 10, I think I'll finish it by the 15 chapter, or not who knows.

Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapy which is over 10k long. Damn!

Disclaimer: Naruto does not belong to me

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

"Naruto!" yelled a distraught Ino who was running towards a figure lying on the ground, not moving.

Ino shot up, sweat rolling down her face. She was panting heavily, like she ran a Ninja marathon or something.

'What was that' thought a very confused and scared Ino.

In the process of her violent wake up, she also woke up her companion on the couch.

"Ino, you alright?" asked a concerned but still sleepy Naruto.

Ino regained her breath and smiled towards Naruto, "Yeah, don't worry about me. It was just a bad dream. Sorry for waking you."

'It felt so real. All that blood and… it was Naruto's.' thought a shaky Ino. 'No, it was just a dream. Nothing like that can happen especially to Naruto. He's the strongest man on the continent, no one can hurt him.' Smiled Ino in the end, a bit more sure in herself.

"You sure, Ino? You look a bit pale." Voiced Naruto his concern.

Ino smiled kindly back at him, appreciating his concern for her, " Yes, you silly. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine." She laid back down and snuggled into his chest, purring while doing it.

She loves to sleep next to him. Despite the nightmare, she slept like a baby even though they have fallen asleep on the couch which isn't exactly the most comfortable place to sleep.

Naruto hugged her tighter to his body and smiled at her. He was a bit skeptical at first about sleeping over so soon in their relationship but it all worked out great. They had a great night together and he can honestly say he likes sleeping next to Ino. It felt so right, so good and relaxing. He wouldn't mind doing it more often.

"How did my pillow sleep tonight?" mused Ino, smiling.

Naruto chuckled at her joke,"Like a baby. So did you, judging from all the snoring you did." Laughed slightly Naruto.

Ino blushed, embarrassed by her actions during her sleep.

"You better not tell anyone about that. It wouldn't end well for you." Said Ino in an evil smile.

Naruto smiled at her threat, "No need to worry. It will be our little secret" winked Naruto.

Ino smiled at her silly boyfriend, "Good." She gave him a good morning kiss in return which he relished.

"Khmm" came a gruff voice from behind them, interrupting their little make out session.

The duo looked towards the direction where the voice came from and came upon a smiling Inora and an annoyed looking Inoichi who had a small tinge of red on his cheeks, clearly embarrassed to have caught his daughter in this situation.

"Hey Mom, Dad." Chirped a bemused Ino, not embarrassed by the situation at all.

Naruto gave them a nervous smile, "Good Morning."

"Good Morning. I trust you slept well." Winked Inora.

Now this made both young blondes blush.

Ino recovered first and smiled at her Mom, "We sure did. He is one comfortable pillow."

Inoichi grumbled something under his breath, something about young teenagers with hormones…

Inora nudged Inoichi a bit, wanting him to be polite and kind to Naruto.

Inoichi glared a bit but relented when he saw that his wife wouldn't budge on the matter, you know the usual.

"Good Morning Pumpkin." Smiled Inoichi to Ino. He turned towards Naruto and gave him a blank look which made Naruto even more nervous than he was before. Inora nudged her husband yet again, reminding him of her order.

Inoichi sighed, "Good Morning Naruto. Staying for breakfast?"

Ino answered that for him, "Of course he is. I still need to feed him after last night. The poor guy must be exhausted." Grinned mischievously Ino.

Now that left both Naruto and Inoichi a sputtering mess. Naruto was both embarrassed and scared shitless. Embarassed because of Ino and her teasing and scared because she said that in front of her Father.

Inora laughed at her daughter. This is exactly what she did when she and Inoichi first slept over and they were caught by her parents.

Inoichi recovered, "You didn't actually do that, did you?" crossed his fingers Inoichi, praying to whatever deity he could.

"Of course not." Exclaimed Naruto which made Inoichi very pleased and relieved.

Ino pouted at her boyfriend, "Hey! Did you have to ruin my fun? I could have kept this up for a month."

"You having fun means I get my ass kicked by your Father." Smiled Naruto.

"So? You were hit by worse." Grinned Ino.

Naruto sighed, "It's not the same and you know it."

"I know you dummy. Come here." Said Ino leaning closer against his face, wanting to kiss him again.

Naruto did the same, completely forgetting the fact that Inoichi was standing 2 metres away from him.

"Khmmmmm". Inoichi was clearing his throat like a madman, wanting to prevent what they were planning on doing again.

"We are still in the room, you know?" grumbled Inoichi.

Ino looked up, "Then leave" said Ino flatly, smiling at her Father and Mother.

Inoichi was shocked. To be blown away so easily by his Princess. He turned towards his wife, "Did you see that? What have you been teaching her?" Now that was something he should have never done. He should have learned by now not to make Inora angry.

"What do you mean 'What have I been teaching her'? Are you saying I'm a bad Mother?" scolded Inora. She grabbed him by the ear and started dragging him towards the kitchen, yelling at him all the way.

She turned back and gave the young couple a warm smile, "Breakfast will be ready in 30 minutes."

With that she continued to drag Inoichi to the kitchen where he would get an ear-full.

Ino and Naruto smiled at Inora and her effective way of dealing with Inoichi.

"Now where were we?" smiled Ino who crashed her lips against Naruto's, melting away at his touch.

""""""""""""""""""""""""""30 minutes later""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

The family could be seen sitting behind the table and enjoying their breakfast. Inoichi was holding his tender ear which he got as a reward for being stupid. Inora was smiling like nothing happened, just something that needed to be done.

Ino giggled at her Father and so was Naruto but he was hiding it better than Ino.

"I trust you already know the happy news?" said Ino.

"If by happy news you mean the wedding then yes. Yoshino wouldn't stop bragging about how she would get grandkids first." grumbled an angry Inora.

She continued, "Ino, when will I get my babies?"

Ino blushed a ton but that was nothing compared to both Inoichi's and Naruto's reaction. Inoichi promptly fainted and fell over his chair. Naruto meanwhile was choking on his breakfast and it didn't look like it will stop anytime soon, the suffocation I mean.

Ino reacted and saved her boyfriend's life by hitting him on the back hard, very hard. Think chakra infused hard.

No longer choking, Naruto was holding his back in pain. He went from death from asphyxiation to being crippled.

Ino apologized repeatedly, and petted him, trying to alleviate his pain.

Thanks to Kurama, Naruto got away with only a minor bruise instead of being stuck on a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

Inora just laughed at their predicament and kicked Inoichi awake.

"Was it a dream?" asked a confused Inoichi.

"What was a dream, honey?" asked Inora.

"You know, the baby thing." Said Inoichi shyly.

"Yes honey, it was a dream." Lied Inora, chuckling at her husband.

Inoichi let out a deep breath, clearly relieved with the news. They were interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Coming!" yelled Inora. She excused herself and went to open the door. She came back a minute later and addressed Naruto, "Naruto, it's for you. An ANBU is waiting for you at the door."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, having no idea why would ANBU have business with him this early in the morning. He is still on his vacation, for Christ Sakes.

He sighed and apologized to the family for interrupting their meal. The parents waved him off, saying that they are used to it since that tends to happen a lot in their family.

Naruto smiled at them and thanked them for understanding. He went to the door to see what this is all about.

A minute or so later he returned just as confused as before.

"What did they want?" asked Ino while washing the dishes with her mother.

"Bachan wants to see me for some reason. They didn't tell me why just that it is important." Sighed Naruto.

"Do you want me to come with you?" asked Ino kindly.

Naruto smiled at his girlfriend, "No, it's okay. You can go and meet up with the rest of the wedding fanatics. I'll find you when I finish with Grandma." He gave her a goodbye kiss which lasted longer than it should much to Inoichi's displeasure.

He waved the family goodbye and used Shunshin to teleport himself to the Hokage Tower.

Ino also excused herself and went to her room to get dressed and then to meet up with the girls and start planning the !

"""""""""""TOWER"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Tsunade was currently waiting for the blonde idiot that she considers her family. She was rubbing her temples, clearly annoyed with something which was causing her a massive headache. And it didn't help that someone just called her old.

"Hey Grandma. You wanted to see me?" said a happy Naruto sitting on the windowsill just like his master used to.

"How many times do I have to tell you to stop calling me old? How come you can't come up with a different nickname?"grumbled an irritated Tsunade Senju.

"Hey it's not my fault that you are old. The sooner you accept that the better. Besides you like it when I call you that." Grinned Naruto.

Tsunade sighed, not in the mood to fight with the endless ball of energy with blonde hair.

"Just sit down. We need to talk." Sighed Tsunade.

Naruto raised his eyebrow at his Grandma. She looked exhausted in his eyes and worried about something. She never speaks to him in that tone unless it's really important.

He sat down in front of her desk and waited for her to continue.

"I just came from a meeting with the Elders. They nominated you for the CRA, the Clan Restoration Act.". The bomb was dropped.

Naruto's eyes widened, definitely not expecting that. Why now? Why him? What made them reach this decision? Is this one of their dirty tricks or are they trying something else? Either way he doesn't like this at all.

Naruto got serious, "Why?" was his only response.

Tsunade felt sorry for him, she truly did. This wasn't exactly what she wanted for him. She always hated that Act even when she was a child. To marry someone because the village wanted more powerful ninjas was disgusting in her opinion and should be abolished. And now 'her' Naruto is one of the candidates for it.

"They recognize your power and want to harness it, in my opinion. You know how they are. They see in you an opportunity to get stronger and perhaps use this to gain some leverage over you. I have no idea why now but it seems they don't want to lose you and what you represent." Said Tsunade.

Naruto had a blank, emotionless look on his face, his eyes cold, sign of a true warrior, "You know my answer to this. If it were anything else I wouldn't object but this I cannot allow. I won't become a breeding machine for this village just because those old farts want me to be one."

"You think I don't know that? I've been trying for years to dismantle that law but the council wouldn't budge on the matter. The Act is a relic of the past. There are other ways to gain strong ninjas without resorting to that Act." Said Tsunade passionately.

"Do they know my true heritage?" asked Naruto.

"I have no idea. I think they might suspect something but I don't think they know the truth. Sarutobi-sensei made sure of that." Smiled Tsunade.

" Did my Father and Mother have to go through with this?" asked Naruto.

"As a matter of fact they did. You know Minato was a genius on the highest level, one that comes every 100 years. As such, he was a candidate for the CRA. But he was already Hokage back then and so he was in a better position than you are now. It also helped that your Mother was a very temperamental person and threatened the whole council to back off." Chuckled Tsunade.

Naruto smiled, that sounded like his Mother. He could see her waltzing into the Council chamber and started yelling obscenities at them and threatening them. He smiled widely at the picture in his head. He was so proud of his Mother.

"Is there any way around this Law?" asked Naruto hopefully.

"There are some loopholes but in the end the decision rests upon the whole Council. There is a vote which decides whether or not you become part of CRA." Spat Tsunade.

Naruto nodded. He was hoping to hear that answer. All his life he let the Council to do what they wanted with him but not today.

"I want to meet with the Council. I think it's time I show them Uzumaki Namikaze Naruto." Said Naruto proudly.

Tsunade sighed, she knew he wouldn't budge on this matter, not that she could blame him. If she didn't leave the village back then she would also be in the same situation as he is now. She shuddered at the thought of marrying some slime just because he had noble blood.

"Alright, Naruto. I will send a summon for you when the preparations are complete. I'm sorry for putting you through this." Said Tsunade sadly.

Naruto shook his head, "You are not to blame for this. You did what you could and I thank you for that." He smiled at her and she smiled at him. She never ceased to be amazed by his attitude. Even in this situation he never loses faith and belief that everything will be alright.

"If only Jiraiya was here. He would know what to do." Said Tsunade solemnly.

Naruto smiled at the memory of his Godfather, "Yeah. He would probably threaten them with banning his Icha Icha for the entire Council." Laughed Naruto.

Tsunade chuckled a bit at the scene, "Yeah, that sounds like something he would do. But seriously, he had a way with the Council. Sarutobi-sensei told me onetime how he protected you from the Council."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, "Protected me? From whom?"

"The Council. You were just a baby back then. The civilian Council wanted your head for what happened the day Kyuubi attacked. Sarutobi-sensei told me that Jiraiya flooded the room with his power which shut them up. He told them if they say that again that he will bring the entire army of the Toads upon them. Needless to say they never spoke about your death in the presence of Jiraiya." Smiled fondly Tsunade, missing that old pervert dearly.

If she had another chance at life she would definitely change the way she acted towards him. She didn't realize what she felt until after he died. She was just too cowardly and stuck in the past to notice the man that was by her side all her life. He may have been a pervert but he was also the kindest, the most loving guy she ever met.

Naruto beamed at the story and the way his Godfather stood up for him. He missed him now more than ever. He would know what to do in this situation.

"That sounds badass. I never knew he cared so much for me." Responded Naruto with a big smile.

"He loved you more than you know. He may not have been there for you in your childhood but he watched over you in the shadows, protecting you. He was your Silent Guardian, in a way. He always felt guilty because he wasn't there for you when you needed him. He thought he was betraying Minato every single second spent away from you." Said Tsunade, regret hidden in her voice.

"I don't resent him for that. Even I know what would have happened if he were to be seen in my presence. Questions would start popping up. People would wonder why is one of the legendary ninjas of Konoha spending time with the demon brat. The enemies would find out and my secret and my heritage would have been found out. He did the right thing." Smiled Naruto.

"You've grown up Naruto. Never thought I would hear such wisdom from you." Grinned Tsunade.

"Well, you tend to pick up a few things if you spend 3 years with the biggest pervert on the planet. They are mostly perverted but some of them were actually useful." Responded Naruto happily.

"How was he?" asked Tsunade vaguely, a faraway look on her face.

Naruto understood what she meant. He knew Ero-sennin loved her dearly and he suspected Tsunade did the same. She just never realized it.

"He was the best. He didn't just train me. He raised me into the man I am today. The years spent with him and you are the years I cherish the most. You two are my family. Without you two I would have probably lost myself in hatred and revenge. You two kept me sane and on the right path." Smiled Naruto, few tears cascading down his cheeks.

Tsunade was trying her hardest not to cry but she couldn't help it. A few tears did escape her prison of solitude, tears wept for the two idiots of her life, Jiraiya and Naruto. The love of her life and the last family she's got.

Naruto chuckled a bit, thinking about something funny, "That pervert is probably writing a new porn book up there in heaven. He's having a nosebleed and is giggling right now."

Tsunade couldn't help but smile at his joke, a few more tears escaping. Tears that should have been released years ago. Naruto saw her tears and her smile and knew now for sure.

"You loved him, didn't you?" said Naruto seriously but with a small smile on his lips.

Tsunade was startled a bit by his question but smiled afterwards. She wasn't surprised. Naruto could always read her like an open book.

"With all my heart. I wanted to tell him that before he left to fight Pain but I was a fool, like always. All I could manage was 'Be careful'. And he just smiled back at me, the way he always did and told me everything will be alright. That idiot." Wept Tsunade.

"I think he knew. He knew you better than anyone. Those two simple words, 'Be careful', meant the world to him. He probably heard 'I love you'. I think your words and your smile gave him strength in his final battle." Smiled Naruto, proud of his master and family.

"Thanks, Naruto." Thanked a teary Tsunade.

Naruto grinned back at her, "No problem Bachan. I still owe you an apology for what I said to you back then when you told me the news of his death. It was childish of me and not fair to you. You were always there for me and I said some things that you didn't deserve and for that I'm sorry." Said Naruto sadly during his apology.

"No need for that. You were angry and I understand why you said that. If I were you I would have done the same thing." Said Tsunade.

Naruto nodded back and smiled.

"Now, enough with all this depressing stuff. We need to focus on your problem now." Raged Tsunade.

"Oh, if you tell anyone about what happened in this room, you will lose your two most precious things." Grinned evilly Tsunade while looking at his manhood.

Naruto gulped and moved his hand over his manhood, trying to protect it from Tsunade's wrath. He nodded vigorously in response, hoping that was enough for her.

"Good. Now go. I'll summon you when the meeting starts." Grinned Tsunade, while shooing him away.

"Sure thing Grandma." Smiled Naruto while jumping out the windows.

Tsunade smiled at her Godson and his attitude. She would do anything in her power to keep that smile on his face.

'I hope everything works out for you, Naruto.' Thought Tsunade.

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""MONUMENT""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Naruto teleported on top of his Father's head, wanting to clear his mind and to think this whole thing through. This place was always a safe haven for him. He used to come here all the time, just to think and reflect on life. He also talked a lot to his idol, which sounds foolish to some but it helped him in a way.

He sat down and just relaxed. He let the wind blow away all his worries for the moment. He smiled, he let the good memories flood into his mind. The memories of Ero-sennin, Kakashi-sensei, Team 7, Grandma, Mom and Dad and lastly Ino…

They were his anchor in life, his reason to live. They were his inspiration and his saviours.

"Hey Dad. It's been a while since I talked to you. My life's been good. We won the war and we found peace at last. Your dream has been achieved. I hope you can rest in peace now. I took my Mother's advice and found a girl for me. Her name is Ino and she's the greatest. She is a blonde like me and just as loud as me. She makes me smile and laugh. I told her all my secrets. I don't know why but it felt right to me. Anyway, the reason I'm here is because I'm in a bind." Recapped Naruto.

He talked about the CRA and what to do about it.

"I wish you and Mom were here. You would have known what to do." Said a teary Naruto.

"**You have the next best thing, kid." Said the voice from within.**

Naruto closed his eyes and entered his mindscape. He came face to face with a lying and bored looking Kurama.

"What do you mean?" said Naruto, straight to the point.

"**You seem to be forgetting about something. I was inside your mother her entire life. I saw and heard a lot of things." Clarified Kurama.**

A bolt lit up inside Naruto's head, understanding what he meant.

"That's right. You saw and heard what happened that day. You can help me." Beamed Naruto at his partner.

"**Hmph. Don't get carried away. I'm not doing this for you. I hate the thought seeing and listening to some annoying women every single day. I'm doing this for me." Grumbled Kurama, trying to save the last of his dignity.**

"Thanks Kurama. I owe you one." Said Naruto, ignoring his grumbling. "What can I do?" asked Naruto.

"**You do what Kushina did. Threaten them. Show them what happens when they mess with you and me. Tell them you won't take their meddling any longer. Lie for all I care. You can tell them you are infertile or something, just do what you do best. I refuse to listen to some woman's nagging voice every day." Advised Kurama.**

Naruto stroked his chin in deep thought, "You make it sound easy. I'm still a ninja of this village. I can't just threaten them. That is considered treason."

"**You are an Uzumaki so start acting like one. You are keeping me at bay for 18 years, remind them of that. If you don't want to threaten them then tell them you will leave this village. We'll see if that changes their mind." Rumbled Kurama in his powerful voice.**

"You are right. They owe us for what we did for this village. It's time to cash in those favors." Said Naruto with conviction.

"**Good." Responded Kurama a bit more calmly now. He has trust in his host. He has earned it through his action through the years he spent with him.**

"You know, you complain a lot about women but I am spending a lot of time with Ino and yet you didn't mention her at all." Said Naruto, interested in his response.

"**She is… acceptable. Now leave! I tire of this conversation." Bellowed Kurama, not wanting to talk about these things.**

Naruto was surprised by his answer. This means he accepts her, in his own way. This has never happened before, not that he was in any relationship so far but Kurama never spoke about someone like this except his parents.

He shrugged his shoulders, he'll think about this later. He blinked and he was back outside on the Monument.

He looked out towards the bustling Konoha with his resolve strengthened. He knew what to do and he won't give up until he achieves his goal.

He stood up at which point his stomach voiced its problem.

'Ichiraku it is.' Smiled Naruto.

"""""""""""""""""ICHIRAKU""""""""""""""""""""""""

Naruto was at his 10th bowl, his stomach not bothered with the problem his owner is facing. Teuchi smiled at him, remembering all the time they spent together along with Ayame. They were like a family, a very weird family but family nonetheless. He has no idea how this little bronde brat wormed himself into his life but he is glad he did. His life would be dull without him not to mention all the money he would have missed because of it.

"I see your appetite is still intact after all these years." Smiled Teuchi.

"You betcha, old man. Nothing like a bowl or 10 to start the day." Grinned Naruto his foxy smile.

Teuchi laughed with him and they had a light conversation during his meal. Naruto learned that Ayame went with the other bridesmaids to help with the planning of the wedding. He also learned that Teuchi knew about Ayame's relationship with Chouji but kept quiet for Ayame's sake.

"What do you think of Chouji, old man?" asked Naruto.

"He seems like a good guy. He treats Ayame like a lady and that's all I care about. If Ayame likes him then so do I. It does help that he eats as much as you do." Chuckled Teuchi and Naruto joined him.

"She found a great guy. I'm sure Chouji will make her happy. She deserves it." Smiled Naruto, happy for his 'sister'.

Teuchi nodded and gave Naruto another bowl on the house which Naruto enjoyed greatly.

During his unnatural consumption of his 11th bowl, visitors arrived into the stand.

"Hello Naruto. I see you are enjoying yourself." Said an eye-smiling Cyclops. Behind him were Kurenai and Asuma Jr. both smiling at the blonde. Asuma was excited to see Naruto again, he enjoyed playing with him.

"Hey guys. What brings you here?" smiled Naruto at the happy family.

"Well we had some craving for ramen and we decided to come here." Answered Kurenai, while taking a seat along with her other 2 companions.

"Ne,ne, Uncle Naruto, whatcha eating?" asked a bouncing Asuma Jr who was being calmed down by a bemused Kurenai.

"This is the food of the Gods, Asuma." Answered Naruto in an exuberant manner.

"Will this make me as strong as you, Uncle Naruto?" bounced an excited Asuma.

"Of course. Nothing beats the Ramen of Gods." Boasted Naruto.

Kurenai shook her head. She saw the look in Asuma's eyes and saw another ramen addict. She'll be damned if she let that happen to her little baby.

She shot a glare to Naruto, "Don't encourage him. It's bad enough he doesn't want to eat vegetables, I don't need him to start obsessing about ramen like you." Scolded Kurenai motherly.

Naruto waved her off, trying to alleviate her concerns, "Mah, mah, I'm not saying he has to eat it all the time. Once in a while won't hurt him,right?." He turned towards Asuma, "Right, Asuma? You will eat your vegetables and fruit if Mommy lets you have Ramen once in a while, right?" smiled Naruto.

Asuma nodded like a madman, not knowing what he was actually nodding for. He only heard ramen, ramen, ramen and Mommy will let you.

Naruto turned towards Kurenai, smiling, "See? Nothing to worry about."

Kurenai sighed, " Why do I get the feeling this will all blow up in my face?"

Kakashi was smiling at the interaction between the two, he was finding it surprisingly entertaining to listen to them bicker. It sounded like a family to him, a family he longed for.

"Kakashi-sensei agrees with me, right?" asked Naruto his teacher, missing the smirk from Kurenai.

"Ah, you see Naruto, I think Kurenai has a point." Smiled Kakashi nervously. Naruto was shocked, more than shocked actually. He recovered fast and grinned teasingly.

"She's got you whipped, huh." Teased Naruto.

Kurenai nodded her head, proud of her achievement. One of the strongest ninjas in Konoha is under her control. Life just can't get any better.

Kakashi sent him a subtle glare for his remark. He doesn't think himself as whipped. He is an understanding person, nothing more. 'Face it Kakashi, you are whipped' thought the narrator.

Their meal was interrupted by someone teleporting behind them. They weren't startled or anything. They were used to ANBU interrupting them during their meals or something else. It was part of their life as ninjas.

"Excuse me for interrupting you Lord Uzumaki but Hokage-sama told me it's time." Bowed his head the ANBU officer.

Naruto nodded his head seriously. The ANBU bowed and left the area in a pile of smoke.

Kakashi and Kurenai turned towards the young blonde while Asuma was happily munching on his first Ramen.

They both asked at the same time, "What was that all about?"

Naruto was short in his response, "CRA". The answer was clear. Both of the senior ninjas understood.

Kakashi had a grave look on his face, understanding Naruto's position.

He gave him a sympathetic smile, "Need help?". Kurenai nodded in agreement. If he needed anything they are there for him just like he was for them.

Naruto smiled at his teacher and his wonderful girlfriend, " I appreciate the offer, but this is my problem to deal with. Besides I already have all the help I need." Said Naruto while patting his stomach in the end, indicating his tenant.

The elder ninjas nodded at him. They were still baffled at his relationship with Kyuubi. To think that a human could befriend a demon. But that's just Naruto for you. The miracle child.

"Go get them. Make your Father and Mother proud." Said Kakashi eye-smiling.

Naruto grinned at his teacher, appreciating the subtle compliment. He waved to Kakashi, Asuma and Kurenai and left towards the Tower.

Kurenai bombarded Kakashi with question, "You know his parents? Who were they? Are they still alive?"

Kakashi smiled at her and answered, "They were the greatest people I knew. Heroes in every sense of the word."

Kurenai pouted at her boyfriend, not satisfied with his answer. She wanted to learn more about them not this cryptic information.

"You won't tell me, huh?" said Kurenai.

"It is not my place to tell. That is up to Naruto and him alone." Answered Kakashi sternly.

Kurenai nodded at him, understanding the situation. She turned towards Asuma and saw him pestering Ichiraku Teuchi for more Ramen who was smiling nervously at Kurenai who was glaring at him , daring him to give him more. Suffice to say, Asuma left the stand unhappy.

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""TOWER"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Naruto walked into the the Council Chamber, where he will face his fate. He walked in and all eyes were instantly upon him, eyeing him, judging him. He could see looks of recognition, respect, some jealousy and some hatred.

'Better than before' mused Naruto.

Tsunade stood up and so did the rest of the Council. She spoke professionally, " The meeting regarding Uzumaki Naruto and his candidature for the CRA now begins."

Naruto walked to the center and waited for his turn to speak. He eyed all of the Shinobi Clan Heads and the Civilian Council. He stopped his gaze on Yamanaka Inoichi who sent him a look of compassion and understanding.

Naruto gave him a subtle smile in return, appreciating his concern for his future. He respects the man as a Ninja and as a Father. Naruto in some way wants to be like him, a strong Ninja and a good father.

Inside of him Kurama woke up and listened closely to the meeting before him. This concerns his future as well.

Koharu Utatane stood up and started with the session, "Uzumaki Naruto. You are here today because we consider you a viable candidate for the CRA. You have proven yourself to be a Ninja with extraordinary strength many times and your lineage which stems from the Uzumaki Clan which is regarded for its longevity and mastery of the seals makes you the perfect candidate for the Clan Restoration Act. As we all know the Uzumaki Clan perished some time ago, its survivors scattered across the globe. You are perhaps its last survivor and we cannot let your blood disappear."

Homura picked up where Koharu left off, " The blood of the Uzumaki Clan was feared throughout the nations which also led to their eventual demise. We all know that the Uzumaki Clan was closely related to the Senju Clan of Konoha. That bond faded through time and we wish to establish it once more. It will no doubt strengthen Konoha even further. This is for the good of the village and the country." Ended Homura in all his wisdom.

"Permission to speak?" said Naruto seriously, blocking all his emotions. He can't afford to let his emotions run wild in this situation. He needs to remain calm and professional. If that doesn't work then desperate measures will have to be taken.

The Elders and Tsunade nodded.

Naruto closed his eyes for a moment, gathering his resolve. He opened them a second later, his eyes that of a warrior that has been in many battles.

" You all know who I am and what I bear inside of me so I won't bore you with my life story. We've been fighting this battle ever since I was born. I let you do with me whatever you wanted as long as I was left alone. I put up with your treatment all my life. It never bothered me too much with how you looked at me. I knew you were all hurting because you all lost someone dear to you that fateful day. And so I shouldered your hatred against me. I took it all in stride thinking you will someday change your mind about me. Your hatred of me spurred me on to become a better man." Said Naruto wisely and seriously.

"We all lost someone the day Kyuubi attacked. You lost your families, friends, husbands, wives. But you are not alone. I lost someone dear to me as well. But unlike you I never let the hatred consume me. I overcame that hatred and turned it into my motivation, into my reason for living. And look at what I accomplished. Despite the glares, the beatings, the insults, I became one of the strongest Ninjas of Konoha. We were always at odds with each other. We never agreed on anything and this situation is no exception. But no longer am I the weak little child that you could all walk over. Today I make my stand against you. As long as I breathe I won't submit myself to the CRA program. My future is my decision. The choice who I marry and how many kids I have is my choice and my choice alone. You will not force this upon me and this I swear. I swear on my Ninja Way. I won't be your puppet any longer." Cried out passionately Naruto.

Tsunade smirked in her head. He was always a passionate talker and he proved that right now.

The room was silent, each left to their own thoughts.

Inoichi was proud of the man before him. He grew up from a noisy little brat who wouldn't shut up to the man who he respects and considers him part of his family. It also helps that he is dating his little Princess and does a good job at it. Ino won't shut up about him.

The Clan heads who are all somehow related to the Rookies already knew who the man before them was and what he accomplished in his short life. They remember the time they all unleashed their anger upon the young man. Anger directed at the Kyuubi was instead directed towards this innocent young man. And yet he prevailed. He fought against their hatred and came out victorious. Truly a remarkable man.

Homura and Koharu weren't impressed with his speech and so wasn't the Civilian Council. The Civilian Council always hated Naruto and didn't hide that fact. They were his enemies from the start. They were the ones that made his life a living hell. Their shops wouldn't sell him stuff or if they did they would overcharge him greatly. Now, as he became a Hero, they see a great opportunity in him. The name Uzumaki Naruto means profit to them and their families. If they can manage to wed him with one of their daughters, it would mean supremacy over the economy of Fire Country. They will do anything to achieve that dream of theirs.

Homura and Koharu weren't the biggest fan of Naruto's. They would always bicker with Sarutobi about his fate along with Danzo. They either demanded his imprisonment, thinking he is too dangerous to let live among the common population or to be handed over to Danzo for his 'education'.

The conflict continued with Tsunade but she wouldn't budge when it came to him. She was too attached to the boy. Now, as a Hero he is, they want to strengthen the village and their own power by anchoring him to their control. When he becomes a Father, he will be that more easily influenced. They cannot allow this opportunity to slip past them.

Koharu spoke up, "A fine speech. You have compelling arguments but your word and your Ninja Way mean nothing to this Council. In the end the decision falls upon us. You can say whatever you want but you are still a ninja of this village which means you fall under the jurisdiction of Hokage and this Council. Don't forget that."

Tsunade glared at the senile, old woman. She never liked the old bat. Tsunade got the feeling that the old bat thought she was better than the rest of them. She would love to put the woman in her place.

"I may be a ninja of Konoha but I am also my own person. I swore my allegiance to this village and this country but my freedom means more to me than this village. Do not make me choose between being a ninja and a father. Trust me; you will lose more than you know." Said Naruto in his sage voice, his anger still under control.

Homura took over, "By becoming a ninja of this Village you gave up your freedom. You became a soldier under our command. Your freedom is dictated by our words."

"That may be for your ordinary run of the mill ninjas but I am not like the rest of them. I am the prison for the Nine Tailed Fox. I am not exactly a normal ninja. Did you think of the consequences of me becoming a Father? I may even be infertile because of the influence of demonic chakra. My children could be born dead because of it or the mother of my children could die during birth." Continued Naruto, lying convincingly about the influence of demonic chakra. He was born while his Mother was a Jinchuriki so he knows nothing happens to the baby. He just hopes that the Council buys that.

Koharu ended his hope, "Please, do you really think nobody thought of that? Every nation researched the birthing process of a Jinchuriki and the results aren't in your favor. The demonic chakra doesn't influence the mother or the child in her womb, if anything it makes the baby even stronger. Prior to this meeting your blood was tested for fertility and you are as fit as they come. You are running out of excuses. If you have nothing else to say then we will convene on your fate."

Tsunade looked towards Naruto, "Naruto , it's time." Naruto looked back at her and saw her serious expression. He knew what she wanted and he feared the truth about his lineage will come out today.

He sighed, ready to face his destiny. "I guess there is no other way. Go ahead, Grandma."

Tsunade ignored his Grandma remark. Council was a bit surprised with his attitude towards their Hokage but ignored it when Tsunade did.

"Listen closely because I will say this only once. What am I about to say stays in this room. This is a secret of the highest caliber and death is the punishment for revealing this secret." Said Tsunade, gaining everyone's attention. Some of the Shinobis already knew what will happen next while some are clueless.

She sighed, preparing for what she has to say next, " Uzumaki Naruto's real name is Uzumaki Namikaze Naruto. Son of Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage and Uzumaki Kushina, the former Jinchuriki of the Nine Tailed Fox." Shocking the majority of the room, especially the Civilian Council and slightly less the Elders.

Whispers started among the councilors, all trying to make sense of this information and somehow try to take advantage of it. Tsunade and Naruto were hoping that this information will somehow turn the tide for them but it seems Fate is not on their sides today.

One of the Civilian councilors spoke up, speaking for the rest of them, "This is wonderful news. We get the best of both worlds. We gain the blood of the Uzumaki Clan and the blood of our Fourth Hokage, who was considered the strongest ninja of this world and a genius of the highest caliber. This is an opportunity we cannot ignore."

Naruto and Tsunade were having a massive headache. This wasn't going according to their plans. They were counting on the fact that the memory of Minato is still alive and that they would reconsider their opinions and perhaps consider Minato's last wish for his son. Alas, it wasn't to be.

Homura and Koharu nodded, agreeing with the Civilian Council.

Koharu spoke, "Yes. He is correct. The blood of the two strongest clans in Konoha is something we cannot simply ignore. Even you Tsunade have to agree on this. Don't think like a Mother would but think like a Hokage. You know deep down that we are correct."

Tsunade glared at the despicable woman. They forget the fact that she is Hokage because of the blonde man before them.

The Shinobi Clan Heads understood what it meant to be a Candidate for the CRA. Many of them were in the same situation as Naruto is now. They also didn't agree but in the end they had to do it for the good of the village. It is unfortunate that this happened to Naruto. All his life he wasn't given anything, he was always forced to do their bidding. And now the thing he wants most will be taken away from him yet again by them. They were split in two. Some agree with the Elders while others disagree with them either because of personal feelings or because they too hate the Law. It is up to Fate now.

"This meeting is coming to an end. If you have nothing else to say, young Uzumaki, then we will have a vote to decide your future." Said Koharu, mock hidden in her voice.

Naruto was looking down, his fists clenched. His eyes were hidden by his blonde locks, his face hidden from their view, making them guess what was going on inside his head.

He spoke quietly, "So be it." This shocked Tsunade. Was he giving up? It couldn't be. Naruto never gives up. He defined determination. He couldn't be defeated by these ignorant fools.

He continued, his voice rising, "You made your choice and now I will make my own. I will give you an ultimatum. It's either me or the CRA. If you push this issue any further I will leave this village forever. I will leave and never return and you will lose your icon and symbol of power." Declared Naruto, power emanating from his voice. The voice that said 'do not fuck with me'.

Koharu sneered, "You dare threaten us? You will be branded traitor and you will be hunted by everyone, even your friends and family. Do not presume you are above us. You may be a Sage and a Jinchuriki and the son of a Hokage but even you are not above the Law. Don't push your luck, boy and do not underestimate our power. You will regret it.."

"No." exclaimed Naruto forcefully. "It is you who are underestimating me. You presume you know everything about me but you couldn't be farther from the truth. You have no power over me, not anymore. Brand me a traitor, do what you want. You forget that Iwa, Ame, Kumo, Suna,Kiri will all welcome me with open arms. They already offered me a place to live right after the war. I declined their offer that day but the offer still stands. You also seem to forget about your alliances with Water Country, Demon Country, Snow Country and many others. These alliances exist because of me. Imagine what would happen if they find out I am no longer in the village. You better reconsider your next words." Said Naruto, remembering them of his past deeds that they seem to have forgotten about.

The Civilian Council was worried. They forgot about that. They can't even imagine what would happen if they lose that market. Think of the money they would lose. They can't allow that to happen. They depend heavily on those alliances.

The Elders wouldn't budge. It was Homura who spoke up next, "Alliances can be reformed. Konoha would recover eventually. We are not the strongest Nation for nothing, you know. The other villages would think twice about letting you join them if that means the end of our alliance with them. Are you willing to risk another war for your own selfish reasons? I thought your dream was peace and so was your master's. You will be spitting in his face if you keep this up." Taunted Homura.

Tsunade was seething. How dare he? He knows nothing. Jiraiya would gladly wage war if it meant the happiness of his Godson and so would she. She would sacrifice everything for him because she owes him her life and her sanity. She was about to say something when Naruto beat her to the punch.

"You know there was a time in the past where I would have beaten the hell out of you for that remark about my master. But I won't scoop to your level. You don't know a thing about Jiraiya and the man he was. He was twice the man you will ever be. You don't hold a candle to him. But you are correct. I am being selfish. But, don't you think I deserve to be selfish, at least this one time? I never asked for anything in my life. Everything I have now is through my hard work. I wasn't given anything on a silver platter. My life is a constant battle. A battle you know nothing off. Yes, you have suffered. You fought in a war. You lost precious people. And so did I and so much more. You lived your life surrounded by the love of your family and friends while I searched for food in trash cans. Your parents bought you clothes, kunais, shurikens and everything else you wanted. I found my clothes abandoned on the street or in the local junkyard. My Ninja equipment consisted of Kunais left on the battlefield, no longer useable and yet I made do with them. You were kissed when you hurt yourself. When I hurt myself, I wasn't given a kiss that made my worries go away. No, instead I received hateful glares and insults or in some cases thrown bottles or glasses. Imagine the feeling when you already hit rock bottom and then someone comes along and pushes you even further into despair. Now multiply that by a 100. If you went through half of the things I did you would have gone insane. You know nothing about me and you know nothing about Jiraiya. If you insult his memory one more time, I will show you the man that was raised by the Legendary Jiraiya of the Toads." Exclaimed vehemently and vigorously Naruto, letting some of his power slip, indicating he means business.

Some of the councilors were taken aback by his story and his confession. Some were rethinking their opinion on the blonde and his fate while others wouldn't budge on the matter. Money and power are more important than personal happiness, at least to them.

Koharu interjected, "We all made sacrifices, boy. You are not alone in that matter. You are one of many that suffered."

"You think I don't know that? I lived my life surrounded by people who suffered. My neighbors were beggars and the homeless, the outcasts. You don't see these people. You ignore these people and look away. You shunned them instead of helping them. I bet that more than half of you here would rather turn a blind eye to a crying child in the corner of the street instead of reaching out to help him. Don't speak of suffering because you don't know the meaning of the word." Answered back Naruto, raising his voice at the woman.

Some of the councilors bowed their head in shame. The boy was right. A lot of people suffered even in their own village and they do nothing about it. Every day a child dies because they can't be bothered with helping them. It was despicable.

"That is the way of life. Not everyone can be saved. The energy spent on a person that can't be saved could have been used for something better." Responded Homaru, which earned him several hateful glances. Life is something that shouldn't be discarded so easily.

"Do you hear yourself? You have lost your way, Elder Homaru. I thought you were here for the good of Konoha but it looks like you are not the man you think you are. What is a village without its inhabitants? The village is not the buildings and the walls. The people make the village. Without the people the village is nothing more than pieces of concrete. And yet you say some don't deserve to be saved. If everyone thought the same way like you we would all be dead. Every life is precious and should be cherished." Preached Naruto.

"What about you? You are pointing fingers at everyone but yourself. What have you done to help the poor and the homeless? I don't see you doing anything to help them. You act like a saint but you are not one. You are just a man with too much power under your control. The power has blinded you, young Uzumaki." Accused Koharu, stepping in instead of Homaru.

"Power has helped me with the things I achieved. Yet again you presume you know everything about me. Were you there with me and Jiraiya-sensei when we travelled the nations for 3 years? Were you with me when I trained for 2 years after the war? The answer is no. If you were you would have known that me and Jiraiya-sensei established several orphanages and homeless centers throughout the world. There isn't a country in the world where our influence doesn't spread. Because of the things we did, the world is a better place now. It's far from perfect but it's slowly getting there. Don't you dare preach to me about helping others because you know nothing." Glared Naruto, his anger slipping a bit.

The Elders snorted at his response, not recognizing the things he did at all. That was nothing in their eyes.

"That is all? The Hero of the Nations accomplished so little? Pathetic." Sneered Koharu.

The wisest of them all voiced his opinion. Shikaku Nara spoke for the first time, "At least he is trying something. The man before you is trying his hardest to bring about true peace and yet here we are judging him, criticizing him for the things he did. But what have we done? Absolutely nothing. Naruto is right. We have no right to speak about suffering and pain because we do not know true pain. We still have much to learn and much to experience."

The Elders and some of the Civilian councilors scoffed at the man. They knew he was right but they won't accept it and won't admit it. They are too stubborn for their own good.

"We are getting off topic here. This meeting isn't about the suffering of the world and peace. This is about Uzumaki Naruto's candidature for the CRA. We can hold a debate afterwards for world peace." Said Homaru, trying to switch the topic back to CRA.

"Indeed. Do you have any last words Uzumaki Naruto before we convene?" asked Koharu.

"Yes. I ask of you, no I plead of you to reconsider your choice. This is my life you are talking about. It may not mean a lot to you but this means the world to me. I love this village and I don't want to leave it because of this but I will if you force me to undergo this Act. Please, let me live my life in peace." Bowed his head Naruto, trying to show humility.

Tsunade eyed the Council and saw many faces that converted to their side.

'His power worked again, huh.' Smirked Tsunade. 'Let us hope it will prove to be enough' hoped Tsunade.

"If that is all then it is time for us to vote. All in favor raise your hands!" ordered Tsunade. She counted the number of votes for the CRA.

"Against!" said Tsunade next. She counted them again.

'20:15' cried Tsunade victorious in her head. The little Tsunade inside of her was bouncing with joy. They won. They actually won.

She cleared her throat, trying to remain professional, " The candidature of Uzumaki Namikaze Naruto for the CRA is hereby officially rejected. You are free to do as you please, Naruto." Smiled Tsunade, not bothering to hide the fact that she is happy with the results.

Naruto's eyes lit up. He won. He is finally free. His life is his now.

The Elders sighed. They were doing this for the good of the village, why can't the others see that. But there is nothing they can do about it now.

The Clan Heads were smiling victoriously. The pariah of Konoha finally won his never ending battle with the Council. Another miracle from Naruto.

"This meeting is adjourned. You are all dismissed. Don't forget to attend the next one in a few hours." Ordered the Hokage.

The councilors were leaving the chamber, some giving Naruto a blank look, other smiled at him. Naruto smiled back at them, thanking them for their support.

Naruto turned towards the last 3 people still in the room, the Elders and Tsunade.

"Could you 3 please stay for a moment?" asked Naruto, surprising the three people.

They nodded and took their seat.

"Look, I think it's time we bury the axe, don't you think? Our fighting is only harming Konoha. Imagine what we could do if we work together, towards a common goal. The world would definitely be a better place to live." Proposed Naruto.

Koharu and Homura looked towards the boy, no man before them. They have to admit that he has grown up into a splendid Ninja, just like his Father and Mother.

Naruto continued, "You know, I had a choice to either let you be killed or save you." Shocked Naruto both the Elders and Tsunade.

"What are you talking about?" muttered Koharu, no clue what he was talking about.

"Uchiha Sasuke, my best friend. I could have let him kill you. His last goal in his quest for revenge was you two. He said he won't attack the village if he can get his revenge against you two for what you did to his family." Said Naruto, surprising the Elders with the last part. Naruto knew the truth about the Massacre.

Tsunade raised her eyebrow, she was lost, "What do you mean Naruto? What do they have to do with the Massacre?"

Naruto looked towards the Elders and saw their looks; they were filled with guilt and acceptance.

He told Tsunade what truly happened that night. Tsunade was shocked. To think that Uchiha Itachi was a hero all along. No wonder he helped them in the war. The man was a ninja in every sense of the word. Another soul sacrificed because of the Ninja system.

"It would have been easy for me. I would just have to walk away and you two would have died, just like Danzo. Yet I didn't. I chose you two over my brother. You may be wondering why? Because I believed you deserved a second chance, a chance to make things right. Don't let my belief in you two be in vain." Pleaded Naruto.

Homaru and Koharu turned towards each other, seemingly reading each other's thoughts. They reached their decision.

"Uzumaki Namikaze Naruto. You truly are a Hero. Your Mother and Father would have been proud of you. You are right. It is time to let the past stay in the past and worked together towards a brighter future. Peace?" said Koharu, offering her hand to Naruto, which Naruto happily took and squeezed it tightly, smiling at the two Elders.

"Peace. Thank you. I'm looking forward to our partnership." Winked Naruto.

"So do we." Smiled Homura, Koharu joining him.

Tsunade smiled at the miracle worker. Another impossible thing achieved by the unbelievable Naruto.

"About time, you old geezers. I thought this day would never happen. This calls for celebration, how about some Sake?" grinned Tsunade, reverting back to her childish behavior.

Elders sighed and shook their heads at her very unlike Hokage behavior. Naruto just smiled at his Grandma and told her he will have to pass on that offer.

With that they ended their conversation and each went their own way.

Tsunade sighed while walking towards her office, 'One meeting finished, another one to go. Where is my retirement?'

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""MONUMENT"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

"I DID IT!" yelled an excited and a very happy Naruto while standing on top of Minato Namikaze's head.

"Do you hear me Konoha? I am free!" shouted Naruto at the top of his lungs.

He breathed in the fresh air and sat down and smiled widely.

He lay down and looked towards the star and saw his parents and Godfather looking down at him and smiling proudly, each of them looking teary.

"**Well done, kid. Another victory for the mighty Kurama!" boasted Kurama even though he didn't do shit.**

Naruto grinned at his tenant, " Nobody can beat the Uzumaki- Kurama duo. We are the best."

"**That's right. Everyone bows before me. I think we need to celebrate this. How about it? You up for it?" bellowed Kurama.**

Naruto smiled, " 10 minutes time limit?" asked Naruto.

"**Sounds good. Let's do it." Smirked Kurama.**

Naruto concentrated and entered his mindscape where he proceeded to have a light spar with the greatest Demon in existence. Totally normal. Nothing unusual about that at all.

Ten minutes later, Naruto was standing on top of a defeated Kurama and grinning widely at the Demon.

"**That was a cheap trick, kid." Said Kurama, no malice in his voice for his host.**

"Hey, if it works it works. You should have learned by now. I don't play by the rules." Responded Naruto at his sparring partner.

"**Fine, this victory is yours. Don't get too cocky though. The next one is mine. By the way, didn't we say 10 minutes? It's been more than 2 hours." Smiled Kurama which turned out very scary.**

Naruto opened his eyes and saw the Sun starting to set. "Meh, I don't care. It was worth it."

They were interrupted by someone yelling Naruto's name. Guess who? No, not Chuck Norris. It's just Ino.

"Naruto!" yelled a panting Ino.

"What's up Ino?." Said Naruto.

Ino was breathing heavily, clearly very exhausted from all that running.

"Don't you 'What's up me'. I've been looking all over for you. Why didn't you tell me about the CRA? I was worried for you, you idiot." Glared and pouted Ino.

Naruto smiled at her, happy to hear those words from her. Well not the idiot part, just the worried part.

He scratched his head and flashed his foxy grin, "Hehe, sorry about that. I kinda forgot to tell you. I was a bit busy as you can probably imagine. By the way, who told you?"

"I ran into Kakashi and Kurenai on the way home and they told me. I kinda did something stupid afterwards." Said Ino, embarrassed by her actions.

Naruto raised his eyebrow, "What did you do?"

She muttered something but Naruto couldn't hear her.

"What's that Ino? I can't hear you." Said Naruto.

She muttered something again, her cheeks red.

"I still can't hear you. You'll have to speak up a bit." Responded Naruto again.

"I crashed the Council's meeting and yelled at them." Yelled an embarrassed Ino.

"**Haha, another Kushina in the house." Joked Kurama. Wait, a joke? Run!**

Naruto blinked and blinked again. Did he hear that right?

"You did that? For me? Why?" asked a stunned Naruto but pleasantly stunned.

"I don't know. I just did. I heard about what they were trying to do to you and my body moved on my own. I just felt so angry at them. I had to do something. I couldn't let them take you away not when I'm just getting to know you." Said an embarrassed Ino, a tear being shed for what could have happened.

Naruto smiled lovingly at his girlfriend. She keeps on surprising him. He enveloped her in a hug, "Thank you Ino."

She snuggled deeper into him, not letting him go. She didn't want to let him go, not now and not ever.

"You know, what you did just now is something my Mother did long ago. Haha, my Father was also a candidate for the CRA but my Mother put a stop to that. She did the exact same thing as you did today." Smiled and laughed Naruto.

Ino looked up at him and grinned, "Well somebody has to look out for our blonde idiots. Your Mother knew that."

Naruto's smile remained on the face but his face inched closer to hers, his intentions clear. No teasing was involved this time, just the prize.

Their lips parted after a few moments. Ino laid her head on his chest and her arms went around him, wanting to feel his warmth, his heart beat.

"Don't you dare leave me because I'll find you and beat the snot out of you." Grinned Ino.

"I'm not going anywhere. You'll have to put up with my annoying habits for a while longer." Smiled Naruto.

"Good. Now sit down and listen to me while I tell you what I did today." Grinned Ino bossily.

"Yes, ma'am." Saluted Naruto mockingly.

They both sat down, looked at the Sunset, smiles on their faces. They were happy and at peace.

CUT! Chapter 10 done, thanks for all your reviews and support so far, you guys are great.


	11. Chapter 11

Number 11 is up and running. As you could probably see I had a lot of problems lately with reposting the same chapter :)) Hopefully this won't happen too often. Anyway on with the show and thanks for keeping up with this story.

Disclaimer: Naruto belongs to some guy in Asia.

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"Again." Ordered Naruto. You might be asking yourself what is he doing. The answer is simple. He is teaching. Who you ask? His apprentice, who else.

Konohamaru performed the sign for the Shadow Clone Jutsu and beside him appeared a clone of his. Konohamaru held out his hand and started focusing chakra into the palm of his hand. A blue sphere of chakra was starting to form, resembling a miniature ball. A second later a perfect Rasengan was formed. Konohamaru's clone entered the fray and started adding more chakra to the already formidable Jutsu.

The ball of chakra started expanding, a bit by bit. Konohamaru was panting heavily. Sweat was rolling down his face by the gallons. The procedure is a lot harder than it looks. You may think that performing this Jutsu should be an easy feat. After all, you only form a ball of chakra. Well, judging from the heavy breathing coming from Konohamaru, the procedure is a pain in the ass.

Just forming a ball of chakra is considered a feat by itself. Then you have to keep this power in control so that it doesn't blow in your face. That requires incredible amount of control and concentration. Add to the fact that you want to make this powerful Jutsu even more powerful you get one exhausting training session, as Konohamaru is finding out right now.

Halfway through the procedure of making Rasengan even bigger, the ball of chakra started swirling out of control and eventually a small explosion occurred because of it. Konohamaru was blown back several meters where he landed on his back, his whole body in pain.

He lay there, exhausted. Just breathing alone was difficult let alone doing something else. Naruto was by his side in a flash, inspecting him for any injuries. He let out a breath when he saw none. He went through the same training and he knew what could happen if the technique fails. Let's just say, it isn't a pleasant experience.

Naruto smiled at his young apprentice, "Hurts like a bitch, doesn't it?"

Even though he was in pain, Konohamaru managed to respond to his teacher and friend, "That would be an understatement. My whole body feels like it's on fire. Not to mention my hand. It feels like I dipped it in molten lava or something."

"Well, that's what happens when you suffer from chakra exhaustion and numerous other things. The hand thing will fade away eventually. Your chakra coils in your hand are suffering from overexertion. They are not used to releasing so much power and holding it in a single point." Said Naruto assuming his Teacher Mode.

"Did you go through the same thing?" asked Konohamaru, hoping to hear that he wasn't alone in this matter.

"Yes. So did Ero-sennin. This is something you will have to endure. But the reward in the end is worth it. Trust me." Grinned Naruto. Kono nodded.

"Why is my Rasengan so much smaller than yours?" asked a slightly downed Kono.

Naruto was a bit surprised but he was actually wondering the same thing, "Well, I'm not too sure but I think it's because my chakra coils are stronger which means I can create a stronger one without injuring my coils. It could be because of something else but I think in time when you grow so will your coils. They will strengthen themselves which means you'll be able to create a bigger one. Don't worry, you are doing well. This is just another obstacle for you to overcome. It will help you in the end both to grow as a man and a ninja."

"Don't worry. I won't give up. What kind of a student yours would I be if I gave up?" grinned proudly Kono.

"That's the spirit. Now come on. Let's go see your teammate's torture at the hands of Kakashi-sensei." Chuckled Naruto.

"Yeah, about that. You see, I can't move my body. It's going to take a while before I can move." Said an embarrassed Konohamaru.

"No problem. I have a solution for that." Said Naruto smirking evilly. Kono didn't like that smile.

Naruto picked him up and threw him over his soldier, ignoring his shouts of pain. Yep, he can be quite sadistic at times.

"You idiot. That hurt." Said an angry Kono but sadly he can't do anything about it.

"I know. That's what Ero-sennin used to do to me. It's only fair if you get to learn this technique, you also get the other things that come with the Jutsu." Grinned Naruto, not that Kono could see him.

"Whatever. Just take it easy and walk casually. Don't need you to hurt me even further." Sighed Kono.

"Sure thing. I can do that." Smirked Naruto who was planning on ignoring his last statement.

With a swift jump onto the trees, the duo was jumping towards the rest of the team. One was smiling; the other was crying his eyes out. That made one weird scene if anyone was there to see it.

They landed after a minute or so. They came upon a scene that was very similar to the one Konohamaru was in before.

Ebisu, Kakashi and Shizune were smiling down at their exhausted protégés. Whatever they did definitely wasn't pleasant, at least not for them.

"Yo, Kakashi-sensei, Nechan, Closet Pervert. I see your training was productive." Smirked Naruto, ignoring the glares he received from the downed students and from the Closet Pervert.

"You could say that, Naruto-kun. We showed them what it means to mess with the top dogs." Smiled Shizune sweetly.

Naruto laughed at her and her remark, "Good. That was the point of this little gathering. And of course to train them."

"You guys are evil. You even corrupted Ebisu-sensei. I miss the old Ebisu-sensei. He was so kind and caring." Cried out in sadness Udon.

"Don't worry, he'll be back once we leave. Or not. Who knows?" grinned sadistically Shizune, enjoying this little torture.

Konohamaru decided to end his little silence, "You guys don't know the half of it. You can at least move. Look at me. I am a breathing corpse. I can't move my eyelashes, for Christ sakes."

"I see you were busy, Naruto." eye smiled Kakashi.

"Yep. But I'm proud of the little bugger. Not many people could endure that kind of training. He'll probably need a few days of rest but it will be worth it in the end." Grinned proudly Naruto.

Konohamaru also smiled at the compliment. It's nice to see your master acknowledges your progress and determination.

"Good. That means our work for today is done. Ebisu, they are all yours now." Smiled Kakashi, saying his goodbyes. Shizune and Naruto followed, the latter dropping Kono unceremoniously on the ground, laughing while doing it.

When they were out sight Hanabi spoke up, "Remind me to stay away from Kakashi-sama for the rest of my life."

"Amen." Said Moegi, Udon and Kono in unison.

Ebisu smiled at his students. He remembers the time when they were all little brats, still the greenhorns, fresh out of the Academy. They were all so brash at the time, thinking they own the world now that they became Ninjas. But look at them now. They are still brash but at least now they've got a reason to be. They have grown into powerful ninjas, worthy to become part of the next generation that will lead this country.

'It won't be long now when they surpass me.' Thought a proud Ebisu.

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"And then he used the infamous Thousand Years of Death Jutsu. You should have seen Udon's face. It was priceless." Laughed Shizune, letting out her boisterous side which was usually hidden when around Tsunade.

Naruto laughed at the story. He knew how it felt like to be on the receiving end of that nasty Jutsu. Let's just say, his ass was sore for a week after that.

"Oh man, I so wanted to see that. It hurts like a bitch but it's funny as hell." Laughed Naruto.

Kakashi just had an eye-smile on his face throughout the story, his lazy personality still intact.

"Speaking of pain, how are you holding up with Gai, Shizune?" asked Kakashi, surprising Naruto by the information.

"What? Nechan and Gai-sensei? How? When?" bombarded Naruto.

Shizune was a bit embarrassed and angry at Kakashi for dropping the bomb so suddenly but she knew she will have to tell Naruto eventually. How the hell did Kakashi even find out?

"Well, it's been about a month now. It started one night when I finished my work at the Tower. Gai was just coming out the office from a mission debriefing. It was late and he offered to walk me home. After that, we met occasionally and went for some casual lunch. Soon after it escalated into a date and then several more. You know he is a nice guy once you get past his unusual tendencies. He tends to tone them down when he's with me though." Said a smiling Shizune, happy after a long time being alone.

"Man, I still can't believe it. The Green Beast of Konoha and the Delicate Hand of Konoha, together. But if you are happy then who am I to object? Congratulations, Nechan. It was getting kinda hard seeing you alone all the time. It's about time you found someone." Smiled Naruto.

"Thanks Naruto-kun. You know I still hate my nickname in the Bingo book. The Delicate Hand. It sounds dirty. I don't like it." Said an irritated Shizune.

The pervert voiced his thoughts, "I like it. It has 'character'." Suffice to say his head wasn't feeling too well after that remark.

"You know, me and Kurenai have an agreement of sorts. Whenever you act like a pervert I tell her. Don't you just love that?" grinned mischievously Shizune.

Kakashi shuddered and paled. He knows that Kurenai hates it when he acts perverted unless they do it together. He is still baffled by that. If they do perverted stuff together it's okay but if he does it alone and in public, the reception isn't so great after that. 'Women' sighed Kakashi.

Kakashi quickly apologized and pleaded her not to tell his violent partner who is very proficient in Genjutsu, Yaoi Genjutsu to be exact. Even the narrator shuddered at that.

Shizune was ignoring his pleas and was smiling smugly, happy to have the Cyclops under her mercy.

Shizune addressed Naruto, forgetting about Kakashi for now, "What about you? How are things with Ino?" smiled Shizune.

Naruto smiled widely at the mention of his girlfriend, just mentioning her makes him happy, "It's been great. We are both enjoying our time together. Every day is a new adventure with Ino. We always do something different and it always brings us closer together. We had our first sleep over last week."

"Wow. That's a big step, Naruto." Said Shizune.

"I know. I was scared at first but after spending the night sleeping next to her it felt natural and right." Smiled Naruto.

"I'm sure she did too." Winked Kakashi, thinking of perverted actions. A fist on the head from Shizune promptly shut him up.

"You would think you learned by now?" beratted Shizune, her eyebrow twitching in annoyance.

Kakashi was seeing stars after that punch reserved for perverts and idiots. He can't help it if people give him opportunities to say something which they don't like. It's instinctual.

Naruto smiled at his Nechan and at Kakashi's pain. Serves him right.

"Don't listen to this idiot. It's good to hear you two are doing so well. I'm happy for you two." Smiled Shizune, ignoring the pervert on the ground who was asking for some medical attention.

"Yeah, we are doing well, better than I expected. The thing is though she's been having nightmares for the past week and she won't tell me what's bothering her. She always gives me a reassuring smile and waves it off like it's nothing important. I ignored it the first time but it's been happening a lot lately, the nightmares I mean. She's worried about something and I can't help her." Said Naruto concerned for his blonde girlfriend.

Shizune entered her Medical Mode, analyzing the situation regarding her nightmares. It could be stress related or fear of losing something or someone. It can't be stress since Naruto said they have a good time when they are together and she isn't aware of Ino having any external problems. It could be because she formed a bond with Naruto and is afraid of losing that bond with him.

She sighed, no closer to finding an answer. Only Ino knows what is going on and she isn't talking.

"If that's the case and she isn't willing to talk about it, all you can do is wait. Wait for her to feel comfortable talking about it. It could be nothing. When she's ready she'll talk to you about it. I'm sure of it." Advised Shizune.

Naruto nodded at her advice, thankful for it.

"I understand. I'll wait and hope for the best." Said Naruto, a small smile coming onto his face in the end.

They came upon the sight of the village in full motion. Merchants were opening their stands, restaurants starting their day, tourists exploring the village, enjoying the sights…

The trio said farewell and went to do their things. Kakashi went to Kurenai and little Asuma to spend the day with them. Shizune went to the hospital to start her shift for today while Naruto was walking towards the flower shop. The Yamanaka family decided to expand their little shop to make it more appealing to customers. They were going to add another greenhouse and more room for the flower display. Naruto, the kind hearted that he is, volunteered to help with the expansion.

So we now see him entering the shop where he saw Inoichi, Inora, Ino all preparing supplies for this mission of theirs.

Ino spotted him first and rushed to him and gave him a hug and a sweet kiss on the lips. Inoichi waved at him while Inora smiled at the young man.

"Glad you came. Now we can start. We were waiting for the muscles to come. God knows what would happen if Inoichi started lifting heavy stuff. It would be a disaster." Chuckled Inora. Inoichi just grumbled something about wives who don't appreciate their husbands but didn't dare say it out loud. Nope, he would like to spend the day pain free.

"Is no one else coming? I thought this was a job for multiple people." Asked Naruto respectfully.

"Normally it would be. But we decided that this will be blondes only." Smiled Inora.

"That sounds good. Who needs other people anyway, when I am here. I'm an army by myself." Grinned Naruto.

Ino smiled at the man, "With you here we will have this done in a jiffy."

"Count on it." Responded Naruto proudly.

"Yeah, yeah. Less talking more working. Shall we?" said Inoichi, the leader of this expedition, at least he think he is. We all know who wears the pants in this house.

Naruto and Ino turned towards the real leader, who smiled at them and nodded in agreement. Orders given they set to work.

Naruto made a few clones to help with moving the supplies. They started first by demolishing the wall in the back so that they can start expanding the shop.

Naruto used some wind manipulation to cut down the wall neatly without damaging the rest of the shop. The others plus some of Naruto's clones started clearing up the rubble. With that done, Ino and Inora started making the stands where the new flowers will be put on display. Meanwhile the men were discussing how much extra space will be added. They took some measures and agreed on the number.

They started first on the supports. Naruto used his clones to bring the wooden supports into the new room where the real Naruto and Inoichi helped put them in place. Naruto and Inoichi both first used some Doton manipulation to dig a few holes where the supports will be placed.

After the supports were placed Inoichi started on the walls and on the isolation so that the environment will be suitable for the flowers. Naruto focused on preparing the floor for the tiles to be put on it.

With the help of the clones the work only lasted for a few hours with a lunch break in between where the family enjoyed their time together.

The new room was finished and now was time for the decorations. Inoichi and Inora were setting up the stands and fixing up the flowers. Ino and Naruto were in charge of painting the wall which got slightly out of hand. Naruto decided to have some fun and 'accidently' painted on Ino's face which made Ino furious and retaliated with equal force. That led to an all out paint war between the two youngsters.

In the end you could see two laughing blondes on the floor both covered in paint and the walls were still blank. But the two blondes didn't care. They had fun and that's all that mattered. Of course they changed their minds when Inora berated them and ordered them to paint the wall otherwise they will have some alone time with Inora The Butcher.

Ino and Naruto both gulped and started painting in blinding speed, speed that matched Minato's Hiraishin Jutsu.

An hour later they both swiped the sweat from their forehead and looked towards each other, smiling proudly, " It looks good." Smiled Naruto.

Ino smiled smugly, "Of course it looks good. I designed it."

"A design is worthless without the proper hand to make it into a masterpiece. That's where I came in." responded Naruto teasingly.

"Please, we all know you don't have the artistic touch. Just look at your clothes when you were a kid. A symbol of an idiot." Teased back Ino.

Naruto faked hurt and pouted at his girlfriend. Ino felt sorry about her little remark about him being an idiot. She gave him a hug from behind and whispered sweetly into his ear, "But you are my idiot."

This made Naruto very happy, "And you are my bossy girlfriend." Responded Naruto, smiling at his wonderful and beautiful girlfriend.

This earned him a sweet kiss on the lips. It was a short kiss but it told everything that needed to be said.

"I hope you weren't doing that the whole time." Grumbled an annoyed father.

The couple turned towards the intruder and said, "What else would we be doing?"

This caught Inoichi off guard. He was expecting a negative answer and not this. He was interrupted by the sound of three voices laughing at him. Two coming from in front of him, belonging to Ino and Naruto and one from behind him which came from his wife who was apparently amused by his predicament.

He crossed his arms and huffed, annoyed and offended by his family.

'Every time. Every single time, I must be the laughing stock of my family. Where did my manhood go?' thought Inoichi, hitting rock bottom.

"Oh, relax honey. We are just having some fun. You know we love you. If you want I can show you how much I love you right now." Whispered sweet things Inora into his ear which got the desired reaction.

Some drool and dreamy look in his eyes plus some red tint on his cheek emerged on Inoichi.

The teens were wondering what happened to him. One moment he was angry the next he was pudding in Inora's arms. They just chalked it up to Inora's magic.

"Did you finish the stands already?" asked Ino which woke up Inoichi from his fantasies.

The parents nodded in affirmative, "I see you also finished. I see my morale boosting skills still work." Smiled sweetly Inora, hiding her evil inside of her.

Both Ino and Naruto smiled nervously, "Yeah, you could say that."

"Good. Glad I could help. I must say I'm impressed with how the room turned out. Better than I expected." Smiled happily Inora. Inoichi nodded, also pleased with the room.

The teens inspected the room around them and they must say it looked fabulous. The room gave off a homey feeling, making you feel at home instantly. The paint brightened the room and made it livelier instead of being all gloomy and dark. The flower stands were aligned perfectly, each flower complimenting the one next to it. The work of true masters.

"It looks beautiful. We outdid ourselves. We should have done this years ago." Said Ino, happy to have been a part of this.

"We are not done yet. We still have to build another greenhouse next to the existing one." Reminded Inoichi.

"What are we waiting for? We can admire the room later." Said Inora.

They all walked out back where the next greenhouse will be built.

Inoichi spoke up and turned towards Naruto, "Any ideas Naruto?"

Naruto a bit surprised by the answer, took a while to respond, "Well, the first thing that pops up in my mind is that we could connect the two greenhouses, you know like a tunnel that leads between the two."

Inora and Ino were thinking the idea sounded great and smiled at the young man.

And so did Inoichi, "That actually sounds great but I don't think we have enough steel poles to make it." Responded Inoichi, bringing out the bad news.

Naruto was deep in thought and was stroking his chin, trying to think of something. And then it hit him.

"I've got an idea. If I'm right, this could fix our steel shortage." He bit his thumb and made the hand seals for the Summoning Jutsu.

"**Summoning Jutsu!"** exclaimed Naruto slightly, slamming his hand on the ground. A poof of smoke later, a toad the size of the greenhouse appeared, scaring the inhabitants a bit.

"Yo, what's up Bro? Need something?" asked the new arrival called Gamakichi, Naruto's personal summon.

"Hey Kichi, sorry for bothering you but I am in need of your assistance. I was wondering if you guys have any spare steel we could use." Asked Naruto humbly, scratching his head and showing his foxy grin to his friend.

"Steel? What for?" asked Kichi.

"You see, we are building a greenhouse and we had the idea to make a tunnel to connect it with the one over there. But we don't have enough steel to make it." Explained Naruto.

"Well you are in luck. We have some available but you need to ask Lord Fukasaku for permission. He is the one in charge of this sort of things. Summon him and explain the situation to him." Clarified Kichi.

"I see. Well here goes. '**Summoning Jutsu'**" a slam on the ground later, a small green toad appeared with some white hair on his face.

"Naruto-chan, why have you summoned me? You are clearly not in battle." Asked the elder.

"Hey Gramps, sorry about that. I need some help from the Toads and Kichi here told me you are the guy I need to talk to. I am in need of some steel poles for the greenhouse we are building." Said Naruto to his teacher.

Meanwhile the trio were shocked and surprised. Even Inora knew what it meant to see an elder Toad in the flesh. It was an honor on the highest level. They all bowed their heads when he looked towards them.

"And who might you guys be?" asked nicely Fuka.

"My name is Inoichi Yamanaka and these are my wife and daughter." Said Inoichi respectfully.

"My name is Inora. It's an honor to meet you, Lord Fukasaku." Said an equally respectful Inora.

Next came Ino. "My name is Ino. It's nice to meet you finally. Naruto told me a lot of great things about you." Smiled Ino.

"No need to be so formal. Friends of the brat here are friends of the Toads. So raise your heads and speak freely." Smiled Fukasaku.

They were a bit still unsure but Naruto told them it's okay which did the trick.

"So can you help us Gramps?" smiled Naruto, like this was an everyday thing, meeting the Elder Fukasaku. But for him it probably is, lucky bastard.

"We normally don't do this but since it's you I'm going to allow it. You did a lot for the Toads and it's time for us to return the favor." Said Fuka, which made the whole group smile at him.

"That's great Gramps. I appreciate it. Don't worry; next time I visit I'll have gifts for all of you." Beamed Naruto.

Fukasaku chuckled at the young summoner. He really liked the little kid. He reminds him so much of Jiraiya except for the perverseness.

"That sounds great, kid. Just tell Kichi here how much you need and he'll bring it to you. If that is all, then it's time for me to go." Said Fuka.

"Say hi for Grandma for me, will you? Tell her I miss her." Responded Naruto at the departing Elder.

Fukasaku nodded and waved to the rest of the group which waved back a bit shyly, still unsure how to act around the powerful Toad.

A poof later, Fukasaku disappeared and the group told Gamakichi how many steel poles they will need.

Kichi nodded and returned to his home.

"Man, that was really something." Said Inora.

"I know what you mean. Very few people have ever seen the great Elder Fukasaku. I never thought I would live to see this day." Said Inoichi.

"Naruto, that was awesome. We got to see the most powerful Toad in existence and he was your teacher." Shouted Ino in joy and ecstasy.

Naruto scratched his head in embarrassment. He really didn't see what the big deal was. He's just an old Toad to him.

"Ah, if you say so. He's just a grumpy old Toad who likes to hit me a lot with his walking stick." Responed Naruto in his usual manner.

"That's because you probably did something stupid, you baka." Smiled teasingly Ino.

"Hey, I'm not that bad. I can be smart when I want to be." Yelled Naruto in annoyance.

"I doubt that. Once an idiot always an idiot." Smiled Ino while walking towards him.

Naruto crossed his arms over his chest and pouted while avoiding Ino's gaze.

"Oh, come here you little baby. Let Ino take care of you. I'll help you get rid of your idiotness." Smirked Ino while giving him a chaste kiss on the lips which made Naruto forget all about the idiot remark.

"Oh come on! Do you have to do this in front of me? I swear, you are trying to give me a heart attack." Grumbled an annoyed Inoichi.

"Stop being so shy already. We did this all the time and it didn't bother you then. So man up." Ordered Inora, sending him a stern look.

"But this is different. This is my Princess, my Pumpkin, my…" he was cut off from his rambling by a devil in disguise. Inora appeared before him, her face morphed into that of a Husband Beater.

She spoke in a sweet tone, "Now, what did I say before? You will let this drop, understand?"

Now something else happened that shocked the whole crowd. Inoichi resisted and fought back, "No, this is my job as a Father. It is my duty to do this. I won't change my mind." Said Inoichi seriously, not backing down.

Ino and Naruto gulped. They felt sorry for Inoichi and for what will happen to him.

The parents were both glaring at each other, both not willing to bow out. After a few moments of this battle of wills, Inora sighed and seemingly gave up but she had another trick in her sleeve, one that never fails.

She whispered something in his ear, away from the prying ears of Ino and Naruto, "You do this for me and I will show you my gratitude tonight and the night after that and the night after that…" she trailed off, letting him guess how many nights are there included.

Inoichi had a stary look in his eyes; his body was shivering from excitement. Inora smirked. Yep, she still got it.

"O-k-a-y." was Inoichi's only logical response. Who would miss out on all that fun? Definitely not him.

Inora smiled, "Thank you honey." She gave him a small kiss on the lips, just a little preview for what was coming in the night.

They were interrupted by two poofs of smokes emerging in the courtyard. Two Toads arrived; Gamakichi who was holding a large bag of supplies and Gamatatsu, a very girlish looking Toad appeared also holding a large bag of what seemed to be supplies.

"Hey Bro, I'm back. And I have the stuff you need." Smiled Kichi at his friend.

"Hey Bro. Do you have any snacks?" inquired the ever hungry Gamatatsu, who is a little smaller than his brother Kichi.

"Hey guys, good to see you. Tatsu you got big. No, sorry I don't have any snacks. I'll give them to you some other time, okay?" apologized Naruto.

"Uhm, Naruto? We can make some snacks for your two friends. It's the least we can do after they helped us with the steel." Smiled kindly Inora.

"Are you sure you don't mind? I can always give it to them another time. You don't have to go through all this trouble." Said Naruto.

She waved him off, "Nonsense, besides I am of no further use for you guys here. I'll just be in the way. Me and Ino will go in the kitchen and prepare some snacks for all of us. You and Inoichi will also be hungry after this is done."

Naruto smiled, " Alright then. Did you hear that Tatsu and Kichi? You won't be leaving hungry after all."

Gamakichi smiled at the older woman and Tatsu was already drooling and fantasizing about all the different food he's going to eat.

Ino and Inora both excused themselves and went to the kitchen to start preparing food for the workers. Inora will make some different snacks for the Toads and something for her husband while Ino will try to make Ramen for Naruto. The emphasis is on try because she never made it before so it will be trial and error.

"Alright guys, let's get to work." Ordered Inoichi.

They started by stabbing some poles around the courtyard for basic measurements on how big the greenhouse is going to be. Next they started constructing the metal cage that will be the greenhouse. The Toads helped with that as well. The places that were out of reach for the humans were done by Kichi and Tatsu. They used Fire manipulation to weld the poles together, making it sturdy enough to place the see through roof on.

After the cage was constructed which was done in a half an hour or so, the Toads really helped speed things along, Inoichi and Tatsu started on placing the roof on. While Naruto and Kichi started on the tunnel that will connect the two greenhouses.

An hour later, the two Toads and the two blonde Humans all stared at their new creation. They smiled at their job well done. It looked way better than they thought. This will boost the Shop's income, definitely.

Just as they were done, the ladies came out with 5 trays, all packed to the brim with food.

"Lunch time. Oh, I see you finished. It looks wonderful, honey." Smiled Inora at her husband and the rest of the working force.

"We sure did. These guys were really helpful. " smiled Inoichi gratefully to the Toads who were already stuffing their face with food. Inoichi sighed while smiling and went to join them.

Naruto walked towards his tray of food. How did he know which tray was his? Easy, it smelled of Ramen.

"Ino, you made Ramen? For me?" asked a smiling and grateful Naruto.

"Yep, I wanted to make something special for you. I hope it tastes great. This is my first time making it." Smiled Ino at his boyfriend.

"I'm sure it will. Thank you." Said Naruto while giving her a kiss of gratitude which she happily accepted. They both dug in after they parted their lips.

The Toads munched on their food in record time, "That was great. Your cooking is amazing Miss Inora." Smiled a satisfied Kichi. Tatsu nodded in agreement with his brother.

"Well thank you. But please just call me Inora. 'Miss' makes me feel old." Smiled back Inora.

"Thank you Inora. This has been lovely. I'm afraid it's time for us two to go. It was nice to meet you all. See you. Naruto, don't be a stranger." Said a waving Kichi.

Naruto waved him goodbye and so did the rest of the gang. A second later the Toads were gone and the family was left alone.

"Thank God for you Naruto. Otherwise this would have taken days to finish. You certainly have a knack for constructing. Where did you learn that?" asked a grateful and smiling Inoichi.

"Well, living alone has its perks. I had to fix a lot of stuff in my apartment so I picked up a few things on the way. After that it's all about experience and your imagination." Smiled Naruto, remembering the good times when he had to fix his apartment. When he was painting the wall, he felt at peace and didn't think about the bad things in his life. It was his time of peace.

Ino smiled at him and leaned on his shoulder. He went through so many hardships and yet he became such a wonderful man. If only she noticed that before. What an idiot she was. They were all idiots for not recognizing him.

"This village is lucky to have a man like you protecting it. Even though we don't deserve you, you still came to our rescue numerous times." Said Inoichi with a small tinge of regret in his voice. He was still feeling guilty for not helping him in the past.

"What happened in the past should stay in the past. I admit it was tough when I was growing up. To be hated just because you were born, did numbers on my morale. But I made that into my strength, my determination. I could have wallowed in my grief and anger but that wouldn't change a thing. I trained my ass off to become someone the village would recognize. This village's hatred towards me was my inspiration to become the greatest of the greatest. In some way I'm thankful for that. The obstacles I overcame made me into the man I am today." Smiled Naruto, not bothered by his past anymore. He has accepted his past a long time ago.

"You know, you are just like your mother. Full of determination and optimism." Said a smiling Inora, shocking Naruto and Ino.

"You knew my mother?" said a stunned Naruto. "You know who his mother is?" chirped Ino immediately.

"Of course. She was one of my closest friends. We were practically inseparable when we were younger. In fact that's how I met Inoichi. Inoichi and Minato were good friends and when Minato and Kushina started dating they introduced me to this girly man right here. Of course, not many people knew that your Father and Mother were dating. That was kept on the need to know basis." Smiled Inora.

" Man, that's so great. I have a new connection to my parents now. Do you mind if I ask you a few things about them?" asked an excited Naruto, whose eyes were becoming a bit teary.

"No, please do. It's the least we can do for you." Smiled gently Inora. Inoichi nodded in approval.

Ino was listening closely. This is a topic that is important to her boyfriend and so it makes it important for her as well.

Naruto was racking his brain for anything he wants to know about them. There is so much he wants to find out. He doesn't even know where to start.

"You know, I don't even know where to start. There is so much I still want to find out about them. I want to know their whole lives, their problems, their sadness, their pain, their happiness, love, friends, everything. Would you mind just talking about them? Just talk about them, that's all I need." Said a very happy Naruto.

Inora nodded and smiled caringly at him," Well, the thing I remember the most is the day your Mother found out she was pregnant. I went with her to the doctors and waited there for an hour or so. I was really starting to get worried but when she came out of that office she was a different person. She was glowing; she was the happiest person in the world. She was rubbing her stomach and crying tears of joy. Minato was the same, if not worse. He wanted to shout to the whole world that he's going to be a father. I think that was the first time I saw Minato cry." Reminisced Inora.

Naruto was overjoyed. He heard something similar from his Mother but it's nice to hear the story from a different person's view. It's nice to hear that he was loved the moment they found out about him.

"This went on through her whole pregnantship. Minato would pamper Kushina with everything. You and Kushina were his priority. He would abandon his duties as a Hokage to go to the store to pick up Kushina's favorite ice cream or something similar like that. He was the perfect father even before you were born." Smiled Inora.

Naruto had tears of joy in his eyes. It all sounded so great. This could all be his life but destiny wouldn't allow it.

"Kushina would sing songs to you or tell you stories. I think she kept a diary of every time you kicked or moved but I think it was destroyed in the Kyuubi's attack." Said Inora.

"It all sounds so great. Thanks a lot. I always enjoy hearing things about my parents. Sadly Kyuubi doesn't like to talk about these kinds of things otherwise I could hear this stuff from him." Said Naruto thankful to the Yamanaka family.

"**I'm not your damn chatterbox. Find someone else to talk about this emotional crap." Muttered Kurama.**

Naruto ignored him. He knew Kurama doesn't like to talk about those sorts of things so he doesn't pester him with questions about his parents.

"Can you tell me more, please?" asked Naruto eagerly but respectfully.

The Yamanaka family smiled at the blonde. They couldn't blame him for asking. They would be the same if they lived their whole lives without their parents and if they suddenly found someone who knew them personally.

"Sure, no problem. I would love to." Smiled Inora. "Let's see." Said Inora in her thinking pose. "I got it. How about their first date?"

Naruto was ecstatic. Another piece of information about their parents.

Inora started, "It was Kushina who made the first move, obviously. They were beating around the bush regarding their feelings for months. Nobody wanted to admit first that they liked the other. Kushina was fed up with the game of cat and mouse so she marched towards his house and kissed him. You can imagine Minato's reaction. He was clueless what to do next. But luckily Kushina helped him. She told him he has to take her out on a date. And he did. Kushina told me that that night was one of the best nights she ever had. They didn't do anything special or went anywhere fancy or anything like that. They went to her favorite restaurant, the Ichirakus ironically and then they took a walk in the park. They talked under the full moon and told each other some embarrassing secrets and stuff like that. They had the best of the times. They laughed, bickered, fought and similar things. They eventually fell asleep together under a Sakura tree. And that's how their dates went. They rarely went to a fancy restaurant or places like that instead they showed each other their favorite places, foods, habits… They were made for each other." Finished Inora.

Naruto was smiling lovingly at the scene playing inside his head. It sounded so beautiful and wonderful. They sounded so happy together and so was he.

"We wanted to tell you this stuff a long time ago but sadly we were forbidden as were the rest of the people who knew. It hurt us every day seeing you all alone and hated for something that was out of your control. We wanted to take care of you, give you a home, love you like you should have been. We spat on Minato's and Kushina's memory. We did nothing and for that we are deeply sorry." Apologized sincerely Inora and Inoichi.

"You don't have to apologize. As I said I understand. I you were have associated with the Demon child you would only bring trouble to yourself and your Clan. They would redirect their hatred towards you and that is something I could have never allowed. You would have suffered, Ino would have suffered and all because of me. Please, don't beat yourself up for what happened in the past. I'm sure my parents would have understood your reasons." Responded Naruto.

"Still, we could have done so much more. We could have helped you in the shadows, buy you food, clothes and things like that. But we were too afraid, we were cowards." Said Inoichi in pain.

"You did something else for me. You know, I remember you guys from when I was little. I remember walking past your store every single day and you would smile at me. It wasn't a fake smile like some people gave me. No, it was a genuine, brilliant smile. It made my day every single time I passed your store. It kept my morale and confidence up. Your smiles helped me on my way to become the man I am today. So please, let the past stay in the past. Let's focus on the now." Pleaded Naruto.

"You are such a wonderful guy, Naruto. Your parents would have been truly proud of you. I know we are." Smiled Inora.

Naruto smiled and beamed at their compliment.

"And he's all mine. I bagged myself such a handsome and caring man." Grinned beautifully Ino at Naruto who gave her a small kiss for her compliment, even though it was strange one but that's just Ino.

"I can't wait for my babies. Can you imagine what they would look like? They would be the prettiest little babies the world had ever seen. Those blonde hair and blue eyes… Wonderful." Smiled and teased Inora.

Inoichi was embarrassed yet again by his wife's words and so were Ino and Naruto but much less than Inoichi. Ino was actually imagining what their children would look like and she must say her Mom was right. They would be adorable.

"Honey, do you have to do that every single time we are together?" pondered an embarrassed Inoichi.

"Yes. You have your drinking with your friends and I have this. We all have something unique that separates us from the others. Mine is teasing." Smiled Inora who was silently hoping that her daughter marries this wonderful young man. Then she can brag to Yoshino about her adorable grandchildren.

Inoichi sighed. He knew it was pointless to argue with her about this. This is his fate from now on.

"I should be used to this by now but sadly I'm not." Grumbled Ino. Naruto agreed with her but he doesn't mind that much. It's all just good fun, no harm done.

"Well, it's getting late. I think I should be going. Thanks for a lovely dinner and thank you for telling me about my parent's lives. I'm eternally grateful to you. Thank you!" smiled Naruto.

The parents just waved him off, saying it was nothing. It was their pleasure actually. They enjoy talking or gossiping about Minato and Kushina. It makes them smile every time.

"It was our pleasure. You can ask us anything, anytime you want. It's the least we can do for you." Smiled Inora while Inoichi nodded in agreement while giving the young man a fatherly smile.

"Come on, I'll walk you to the door." Said Ino who didn't want Naruto to leave so early.

They stopped in front of the door where Ino gave him a long loving kiss. Kissing with him felt so wonderful, so rejuvenating. She is thanking whatever deity that is up there for bringing Uzumaki Naruto into her life. She can't imagine her life without her blonde boyfriend. She would probably be dating some slime of a guy who would see her only as a trophy. This past month they've been dating was the best month ever for her. She found out so much about Naruto and about herself. Naruto revealed to her his greatest, deepest secrets which made her feel warm inside.

You tell this kind of secrets only to the person you really trust and care about and to be that person means the world to Ino. Spending time with him also enlightened some things about herself that she didn't know. She is no longer the shallow girl she used to be. She set her priorities straight, thanks to Naruto and certain events in her life.

The blonde was an enigma to her. She thought of him only as a friend but now when they are dating she is really starting to care for him. These feelings are foreign to her. It feels different to what she felt towards Sasuke. Sasuke felt more superficial, this feels deeper, more genuine. It could be the start of something greater for Ino. It could even be love.

"Do you have to go? Can't you stay for a few more minutes?" asked Ino, embracing Naruto. She knew that won't happen. It was late and it was time to say their goodbyes.

Naruto smiled and chuckled at his girlfriend, "I would love to stay but it's getting late. Don't worry; I'll see you in the morning. You promised to show me your special place, remember. I'm looking forward to it."

She brightened up at the thought of showing Naruto her favorite place, "That's right. You'll get to see my favorite hanging spot. It's going to be so great. Now shoo. The sooner you leave, the sooner I can get to sleep and the sooner the morning comes and I can see you again." Smiled Ino lovingly at him. She gave him another juicy kiss which Naruto happily accepted. Who wouldn't? Sasuke, probably.

"Sweet dreams, Hime." Smiled Naruto waving goodbye.

"You too, Naruto. See you in the morning. Don't be late." Smiled Ino.

Ino closed the doors and sighed dreamily. He makes her feel so wonderful. No man has ever done that to her before and she'll do anything to keep hold of that feeling. She went to her room and did her nightly routine before bedtime. She went to bed where she dreamt of her wonderful boyfriend.

And so did Naruto. They couldn't wait for the next morning.

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Another but a much bigger crack appeared on this strange mountain. A sign of things to come.

That's a wrap. Nothing special happened in this chapter, just something that had to be done. I promise next one will be better. As you also probably noticed I'm having difficulties with the words that come after quotation marks things like **inquired, said, responded, mused,… **and stuff like that. I sometimes don't know which word to pick and because of that I use the same words over and over again, as you probably noticed. If you have any suggestion how to fix this please tell me. Thanks for reading and for you support.

See ya!


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12! Thanks for reading and hope you like this one.

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine.

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"Are we there yet?" whined Naruto. Ino just sighed and shook her head at her boyfriend's impatience. They were currently walking through a thick forest towards Ino's favorite place, wherever that is.

"For the umpteenth time, no. Just be a little patient." Retorted Ino.

"Oh, come on. We've been walking for like an hour. I'm tired." Grumbled Naruto which was starting to really get on Ino's nerves.

"We've been walking for 10 minutes. Just relax; we'll be there in a minute or so. If it were that easy to find, everyone would go there. Now calm down or I will do it for you." Smiled evilly Ino which promptly shut Naruto up.

Resigned to his fate, Naruto walked side by side with Ino to her special place. Despite whining the whole way, he is actually really excited to see this place. Ino holds it in high regard so it must be awesome.

After 5 minutes or so, an hour for Naruto, the forest started to clear which was a good thing for Naruto because Ino was very close to beating the snot out of him.

They made their way through the last of the thick bushes and came upon a beautiful meadow full of beautiful flowers. The clearing was vast and was beaming with life. There were butterflies everywhere, just flying around, doing nothing but enjoying themselves in this gorgeous meadow. The place looked so serene, so peaceful. A paradise, still untouched by the human world. No wonder Ino likes coming here. This is a good place to be alone and to escape from your troubles. A place to think and relax.

"Ino, this is beautiful. How did you find this place?" asked a stunned Naruto.

She giggled at his awe stricken expression. She was the same when she first saw this place.

"By chance. I was gathering flowers and somehow got lost in the forest. While I was trying to find my way home, I came across this place. Ever since then I come here whenever I feel sad or when I want to think about my life. It's a great place to just relax and be one with the nature." Smiled Ino.

"You have the damnest luck. Seriously, who gets lost and accidentally stumbles upon a paradise?" chuckled Naruto.

"I'm just that great and beautiful." Laughed Ino. They went to the middle of the field and took a seat. Naruto unfolded his storage scroll with all the stuff he prepared for the picnic. With a hand sign for Kai the, food, drinks and a blanket all appeared in the middle of the scroll.

Ino lay down the blanket and Naruto prepared the delicious food. They both took a seat on the blanket and started eating silently. They were done after half an hour or so. They lay down on the blanket, Ino snuggling on top of his chest.

"That was delicious Naruto. How do you always make such great food? I can barely make Ramen." Pondered Ino.

Naruto scratched his head in embarrassment, "Heh, heh, well I learned a lot on my own when I was younger. Ero-sennin also taught me a lot about cooking during our trip. For a pervert he is an amazing cook." Smiled Naruto.

"Lord Jiraiya cooking. Now that's something you don't see every day." Chuckled Ino and Naruto joined her. It was a funny image.

"Yeah, the persona of a cook definitely doesn't fit him. It was his own fault why people didn't believe that he had a non-pervert side. If he weren't such a super pervert, people would actually take him seriously. At least his enemies knew not to mess with him." Smiled Naruto.

"Yeah, for a pervert he sure was powerful. Tell me, who was stronger, Lord Jiraiya or Orochimaru?" asked an interested Ino.

"Ero-sennin without a doubt. He may not have been a genius like Orochimaru but he had guts and the will to never give up. They fought once as soon as Orochimaru left the village. Orochimaru won the battle but I think Ero-sennin let him get away. He couldn't fight his best friend and that's why he lost. If they were to fight once more I'm pretty sure Pervy Sage would have won." Beamed Naruto proudly.

"They sound kinda like you and Sasuke. He was a genius and you the man that never gave up, no matter what. You are the next Sannin in a way." Smiled Ino but it wasn't a happy smile. The memory of Sasuke and the things he did is still fresh in everyone's minds including Ino's and Naruto's.

"In a way you are right. But enough about that. Let's talk about something more cheerful." Smiled Naruto, hoping to change the topic. Sasuke is still a sore subject for him.

Ino nodded, understanding his reasons for wanting to talk about something else.

"Sure. You know, there is something I'm really interested in. It's about you and Kyuubi." Said Ino, gaining Naruto's attention. Kyuubi is a complicated subject. Not many people really know what happened between him and Kurama. And he hopes it stays that way.

Kurama also woke up when he heard her question. He is actually very interested in what the girl wants to know about him.

"What do you want to know?" asked Naruto.

"Well, I want to know about you guys. How did you get along throughout your life? How is he in person? Is he really that evil as everyone says he is?" asked Ino, treading the ground about Kyuubi carefully.

Naruto gave her a surprising look. Not many people want to talk about Kyuubi let alone about his personality.

"Interesting. Not many people want to know about him. They usually think they already know everything there is to know about him. They hear a lot of things from rumors and legends but most of the stuff is false and just bogus. I think you are the first person in years that wants to find out the real Kyuubi." Said Naruto with a small smile.

"Well, since you are my boyfriend and he is technically inside of you, I want to know more about him. My image of him was basically shattered after the war. I always thought of him as an evil monster that is hell bent on destruction. But he did help you in the war which means he can't be all that bad." Responded Ino.

"You know, my respect for you just rose tenfold and I think Kyuubi feels the same way." Smiled widely Naruto.

Kurama snorted in his mindscape, negating his host's remark even though there is some truth in it.

"So, will you tell me?" asked again Ino, with a smile of hope on her face.

"Sure, why not. I see no harm in telling you. Well, when I was younger I didn't actually know that Kyuubi was inside of me. I always thought the village hates me for my pranks or something my parents or family did. I found out the truth about my identity the day I graduated. I'm pretty sure you don't know this but Mizuki tried to steal the Scroll of Seals but I and Iruka-sensei stopped him. In the process Mizuki revealed to me the S-class secret regarding my status as a Jinchuriki." Narrated Naruto, shocking Ino about the Mizuki part. To think that her own sensei was a traitor. No wonder she never saw him again.

She interrupted him, " Mizuki-sensei was a traitor? No wonder I never saw him again. I always thought something happened to him and now I know."

"I know, it's quite a shocker. You can imagine how I felt when I saw him that day. I learned a tough truth about Ninja world that night. Everyone can be a spy or a traitor. That is the Ninja world we live in."

"Anyway, moving on. The first time I actually met Kyuubi when I was training with Ero-sennin. I had to use Kyuubi's chakra to summon Gamabunta. In order to do that I had to enter my mind and talk to him. The experience wasn't… pleasant. To be watched and judged by humongous fox that can rip you apart with his breath definitely wasn't on my 'To do list' that day." Chuckled Naruto.

"**Haha, that was a good day for me. You should have seen your face." Chuckled the monster fox.**

"Shut up. I'm trying to tell a story here." Grumbled an annoyed Naruto who didn't want to be reminded what happened that day. He was scared like never before even though he was shouting at Kurama that day.

"Sorry about that, just needed to set some things straight. Where was I?" pondered Naruto. "Oh yeah. Well, things stayed the same throughout the years. I borrowed his chakra whenever I was in danger or when I was angry which happened a lot." Chuckled Naruto. Ino joined him. He did always somehow wind up in some sort of deathly situation.

"Things started to change when I confronted him before the war. In order to gain full control of his chakra I had to confront him and beat him in a fight. In that fight, which was the fight of my life, I realized something, something important. I didn't saw Kyuubi the Demon fox that wanted to destroy the whole world. I saw a living being that was trapped inside a human for over a century. Imagine being someone else's play toy, under someone else's control. Kyuubi has lost his freedom, his identity. I learned the truth about him in that fight. Yes, he was evil and the embodiment of anger and hatred but he was also alone. Just like me." Explained Naruto which sturred something inside Ino. Ino was seeing a whole new side to Kyuubi. But she will hold her judgment until Naruto finishes.

"We talked several times during the war and during the final fight with Tobi we teamed up. We put aside our differences and for the first time worked together. We owe our victory in the war entirely to him. Without him, Tobi and Madara would have ruled the world." Said Naruto, praising Kurama.

"What about now? Did anything change after the war? Was your partnership a onetime thing?" asked Ino.

"No. Kyuubi is my partner and my friend. He is my comrade from the Village Hidden in the Leaves. I treat him the same as I do the rest of my friends." Answered Naruto.

"What about him? Does he see you in the same light as you do him? I mean, he is still imprisoned within you. Doesn't he want freedom?" continued Ino.

"I think he does but that is something only he can answer. But he doesn't like to talk about those kinds of things. He tends to get pretty loud when I mention the word 'friend' or 'emotions." chuckled Naruto.

He continued, " Freedom. Now that's an interesting question. What I'm about to tell you, stays between you and me, okay?" said Naruto seriously. Ino nooded, aware that she is going to hear another one of his secrets.

Naruto nodded, "Good. You are the first person I'm telling this. Not even Bachan or Kakashi know this. After the war I had a little chat about Kyuubi and his freedom. I learned about his past and how he was imprisoned in my mother and Mito Uzumaki. He was a weapon for over a century and I wanted to change that. I made him an offer. I offered him freedom." Said Naruto,surprising and shocking Ino. This is big, no, this is gigantic news.

Naruto continued, "I offered him freedom. I told him I would open the seal and cancel the link between us which would allow him to leave my body, his prison."

Ino was baffled which was shown on her face, "What happened?" asked Ino like she was afraid of the answer.

"He refused." Shocked Naruto. "He told me 'No'."

"Why? I mean, isn't that what he always wanted? To be free?" asked a stunned Ino.

"Yes, that was his goal the moment he was sealed into me. That is why I was surprised by his answer. I thought he would take my offer without hesitation but I was wrong. Want to know why?" asked Naruto, keeping Ino guessing.

She nodded furiously, her Information Sense activated and working full force.

"Because he was free. That is what he said to me. He said he was already free. He was free from the hatred humanity bestowed upon him. He was no longer a puppet, no longer a weapon. He finally found a place where he belongs. He acknowledged me as his equal, in a way. He was no longer a weapon to destroy but someone that protects. He is a guardian of the Ninja world and the peace that we created." Smiled Naruto.

"Wow, that sounds wonderful. I'm happy for you guys." Smiled wonderfully Ino.

"So what do you think of Kyuubi now?" asked a smiling Naruto.

"I'm pretty sure he isn't such a bad guy,uhm, I mean fox. If you say he's okay then I believe you. He wouldn't have helped you if he weren't." smiled Ino.

"You hear that Kurama? You just got another fan." Grinned Naruto internally.

"**Did you have to go and blabber everything to the girlie? What's next?" growled Kurama, feigning annoyance.**

"Oh, come on, it ain't that bad. At least there is one more person in the world who doesn't think of you as a monster. You should be happy." Chuckled Naruto.

"**I like being a monster. It makes people fear me. I like fear." Bellowed Kurama in his powerful voice.**

"Don't worry, I'm pretty sure people are still scared shitless of you. If not there is a solution for that." Grinned mischievously Naruto.

"**Rampage?" asked hopefully Kurama.**

"You got it. If you want we can take a stroll through the Elemental Nations and you can flaunt your power and make people pass out. How does that sound?" said Naruto, describing the event like it's no big deal. Like it's one of his pranks.

"**Kid, if you do that for me I will be eternally grateful to you." Grinned scarily Kurama.**

"That sounds promising. You've got yourself a deal. As soon as we are send on a mission I'll let you take a walk." Beamed Naruto.

"**Good! I think you should focus on your blonde girlie. I think she just realized something about your offer." Warned Kurama.**

Naruto focused his attention on Ino who had a worried look on her face.

"What's up Ino?" asked Naruto, hoping it wasn't what he thought it was.

"Your offer. If he took your offer, what would have happened to you?" asked Ino seriously.

"**Busted." Chuckled Kurama, which was scary as hell.**

Naruto sighed. He was hoping to avoid this but his luck didn't hold out. She deserves to know the truth anyway.

"I would have died." Shocked Naruto.

Ino was wide eyed. She had a feeling that was the case. Tears were emerging in her eyes. She didn't know why but just the thought of him dying stirred something inside of her. If he died, a part of her would have died as well. No, she would have been lost and alone.

"Why? Why would you do that, you idiot? Why would you want to die?" shouted Ino, tears streaming down her face. She was pounding on his chest with all her power. Even though he is still alive she was still upset and scared. Scared of the thought of losing him.

"You were going to die, you idiot. You would have left us, your friends, family and me. Why would you do that?" cried out Ino.

Naruto hugged her and stroked her hair and back gently, trying to calm her down.

He spoke lovingly and kindly, "It wasn't an easy decision, trust me. I was finally recognized and acknowledged by everyone including the Village. But I have fulfilled my purpose in this world after the war. I was told I was the Child of Prophecy who will bring peace to the world and end the suffering of this cursed Shinobi world. The victory in the war was a huge step towards that ideal world. My part was done. Now, it all depends on the rest of the world. It's up to them to uphold this peace. As I said my purpose in this world was done. There was one last thing I needed to do. If I were to end the suffering and pain of everyone in the world, then I have to start with someone that has suffered for as long as I remember, Kyuubi."

Ino was still sobbing on his chest but calmed down considerably. He was alive but she dreads the thought of not having him in her life.

"Kyuubi was suffering just as everyone else. He deserved to find his happiness and freedom. That is why I made him that offer." Said Naruto.

"What about your happiness? You would have sacrificed everything, your life, your friends, your family, everything. Don't you value your life?" sobbed Ino.

"I do value my life. I lived my life for my precious people. I lived to protect you all. My goal and purpose was to create a world where you wouldn't have to fight every day. And I did that. I achieved that. I was at peace. But Kyuubi wasn't, at least that's what I thought at first. I knew what happiness and love was. You guys gave me that but Kyuubi didn't experience that. That's why I wanted him to have freedom. He deserved it." Responded Naruto, who was touched by Ino's concern for him.

"Did you give up?" asked Ino, dreading the answer.

He was looking into the sky, seemingly far away, "Yes. A part of me gave up. Ino, I was tired. My life was a constant fight for survival. If it weren't for you guys and Ero-sennin I would have given up years ago. I was tired of the hatred and the pain. In some way I thought I could finally be happy and be reunited with my family. But there was also the part of me that wanted to live on. I wanted to experience the joy of having a family, to fall in love and marry the woman of my dreams. I wanted to live for my friends and for my parents who gave their lives so that I could live on. I wanted to live so that I could continue Ero-sennin's legacy and make him proud. But what kind of man would I be if I ignored another living being in pain? I couldn't live with myself if I knew that Kyuubi suffered just because I wanted to be happy. I just couldn't." finished Naruto with conviction.

"Figures. Even when your life is at stake you think of others before yourself." Said Ino a bit more calmly, seemingly in peace with the situation.

"I can't help it. That's who I am. But don't worry I'm not going anywhere now." Smiled Naruto to his girlfriend.

"I'm glad." was the only response from Ino who had a serene smile on her face and snuggled into the crone of his neck. She surprised herself with her reaction. Just the thought of him dying, changed something inside of her. She couldn't stand the thought of living her life without him around. Every single day she spends with Naruto is another day full of happiness and joy. A day of love and warmth. Love which she doesn't want to lose but only deepen.

"I guess I owe Kyuubi more than I think, huh. Apart from saving your stubborn ass countless times he also granted you life and threw away his freedom. " smiled Ino.

Naruto chuckled, "I'm pretty sure he won't like you thanking him. When I thanked him he yelled at me. He doesn't like it when I get all emotional on him."

She laughed lightly with him, figuring that was the case. He is a demon, after all.

"Well, maybe a woman's touch is needed. God knows, you say the dumbest things." Said Ino playfully.

Naruto blinked and blinked again. Did she just say what he thinks she did?

"Ino, do you wish to meet him?" asked a surprised Naruto. No one has ever wanted to meet Kyuubi not even Pervy Sage or Grandma Tsunade.

She smiled kindly, "Why not? I do need to thank him for all he's done for you and me. Besides he could use some company. I'm pretty sure it gets pretty boring inside of your head. There isn't much to do in your empty skull." Chided Ino playfully.

"I'm going to ignore pretty much most of that sentence. Are you really sure you want to meet him?" asked again Naruto seriously, ignoring the remark about his denseness and occasional stupidity.

"I would love to with his permission of course." Smiled Ino but was very serious with her answer.

Naruto closed his eyes, "Kurama, I'm guessing you heard all of that. It's your choice."

The Great Kurama had his eyes closed in deep concentration. If anyone were to see him now, they would probably think he is asleep or playing ignorant but Naruto knew what was really going on. He was accesing all his memories about the girl and making his decision.

After a few moments Kurama opened his eyes. They had the answer Naruto needed. Well, this was it.

"Okay Ino. He approves. There are two ways we can do this. One, I establish a mental connection with you and allow you to enter my mind. This is what I and Killer Bee did during our training. Or since you are a special case because you are a Yamanaka, you can use your Mind Jutsu to enter my mind. Which do you prefer?" asked Naruto Ino who was beaming with happiness for being allowed to meet Naruto's oldest partner.

She calmed down so that she could answer his question, "If you don't mind I would like to use my technique to enter your mind. It's more comfortable for me and I'm used to it."

Naruto nodded with a small smile. He was looking forward to this but was still a bit cautious. He doesn't know what Kurama will think of another human even if that human is his host's girlfriend. He isn't exactly on friendly terms with them.

"Alright, whenever you are ready Ino." Said Naruto who closed his eyes, waiting for Ino to make her move.

Ino also closed her eyes and took a deep breath. 'This is it' thought Ino. She made the handseal for the technique and with a quick force of chakra directed towards Naruto, her soul/mind was transferred to his.

The process of entering another person's mind is quite… special. It's like you are traveling in a tunnel surrounded by wisps of light. It's like you are travelling at the speed of light. It's so beautiful and scary at the same time.

When she opened her eyes again she was now standing in a dark place with no light present in the room. She could feel something cold and liquid slashing at her feet.

'Water?' thought a surprised Ino. In all her career she never saw a person's mind with water in it or so much darkness.

She took a cautious step forward and then another one. After a few steps she got the feeling that someone or something is watching her and she didn't like that.

She spoke quietly and carefully, watching for any sign of movement, "Naruto? Are you here?". She hated the fact that her voice sounded scared. She doesn't like to show weaknesses.

Something moved in front of her. She took a step backwards and remained on guard. Whatever it was it moved comfortably in this darkness.

She asked again, "Naruto? Is that you? Come on, don't play with me. I can't see anything in here."

Then it happened. A big pair of malicious red eyes appeared a meter in front of her. She let out an eep of surprise and fear and jumped backwards, away from the object of her fear. Then a big set of evil looking teeth appeared which remarkably formed a cheesy grin. Next followed a laughter, no, two sets of laughter.

Ino blinked and blinked again and then again. Was it just her or was the laughter the kind after you pull a prank or a joke on someone? And was the room brightening up?

The room was indeed brightening up. She heard a click and candles appeared on what seemed to be walls around her, clearing the darkness from the room. She ignored the part about walls appearing since she was in someone else's mind and these sort of things happen, a lot.

She looked up towards the direction where the laughter was coming from and saw a crying Naruto laughing his ass off on top of what seemed to be a giant red head.

'Wait. A giant red head, with big fox ears?' thought Ino who realized who the giant head belonged to.

She looked a bit south and came face to face with a grinning fox who was still chuckling slightly which really unnerved Ino and frankly scared her a bit. Scratch that, that scared her a lot.

The Beast stopped chuckling and looked at her with its big, red eyes that can see through your soul. She gulped a big breath of air and saliva and waited for whatever the Beast will do. She also noticed that Naruto didn't stop laughing, the idiot. Couldn't he see that she needed help?

She refocused her attention on the big Fox when he started to talk, **"So you must be the kid's girlie, huh?"**

Ino not knowing what to do just nodded her head and hoped for the best.

It also woke Naruto from his laughter who looked down at Ino with a smile on his face. He wiped the tears still stuck in his eyes and said, "Relax Ino. You are safe. It was just a little joke. We didn't meant to scare you THAT much." Chuckled Naruto which formed a tick mark on Ino's forehead.

Here she was scared for her life and now she finds out it was all a joke. A joke?

She screamed at her idiotic boyfriend, "A joke? I think my heart skipped a beat and you are telling me it was all a joke. I'm going to kill you Naruto." Threatened a very angry and irritated Ino.

Naruto chuckled and smirked at her, "You can't kill me while I'm up here." Teased Naruto.

Kurama grinned. He just had an evil idea.** "I can fix that for you**." He tilted his head forward with amazing force which send Naruto flying towards Ino.

"Ahhhhhhh" screamed Naruto much to the delight of Kurama who was laughing. Naruto landed in front of Ino who had a very scary and angry look on her face. She was crackling her knuckles which made Naruto gulp and close his eyes, waiting for the beating to come.

Ino closed the gap between them and gave him the beating he deserved. Naruto was lying and twitching on the ground, his whole body in pain.

Kurama was having a field day out of all this. He never laughed so hard in his life. But that soon turned into a look of surprise and amusement and a bit of anger.

"What are you laughing at, huh? You want some of this as well?" threatened Ino while swinging her fist. In her anger she forgot that she is actually threatening the greatest of the Bijuu. Oh well, it's her funeral.

Kurama looked down at her with amusement, annoyance and surprisingly with a tinge of respect. But he isn't the strongest Demon for nothing.

"**What's that girlie? Are you threatening me? Me, The Nine Tailed Fox?" **bellowed powerfully Kurama but had no effect on the berserk Ino.

Ino wouldn't relent. Her rational thinking was clouded by all the anger and annoyingness she was feeling at the moment. She felt like she could take on anyone even Kyuubi himself.

"Damn right I am. You think you can pull a fast one on me and get away with it? I don't think so. I'll show you not to mess with Ino Yamanaka." Raged Ino, glaring at the humongous being in front of her.

Kurama remained silent and returned her glare. No words were spoken and none were needed. This was a battle of stubbornness, between a blonde and a Fox Demon. Not a good matchup, for Kurama that is.

Naruto, meanwhile, picked himself up albeit barely. His body still hurt like hell. He cleared his head from the pain and dizziness and looked up to see a weird and funny scene.

There she was, his girlfriend, threatening the most powerful being in existence and winning.

The Blonde and the Demon were still battling it out with their looks and glares, neither relenting although Kyuubi was starting to falter a bit. Ino wouldn't stand down. This is where she earns her respect and recognition. She can't lose.

Kyuubi suddenly picked a play out of his host's unpredictable book. He had a wicked grin on his face which made Ino very nervous.

Kurama gathered some of his chakra, which meant a lot by human standards and propelled it towards Ino which secured his victory. Ino was caught off guard, not that it would have mattered if she were on guard and was thrown backwards at high speeds. Luckily, someone was standing there watching the whole procession unfold itself.

Naruto was also caught off guard and paid the price for it by someone slamming into him and knocking him on the ground with the person on top of him. But it was all good because the person on top of him was a woman, a very gorgeous looking woman and she was straddling him.

"Damn he's good." Groaned out Ino in pain while still on top of Naruto which made him very uncomfortable and also comfortable, depends on how you look at it.

"What did you expect? To pat you on the shoulder and say 'Thanks for threatening me'?" said Naruto, enjoying the position he was in, the little pervert.

"No." responded immediately Ino, even though a part of her was hoping that to happen. "It was a spur of the moment. It's your fault for scaring the shit out of me. If it weren't for you I wouldn't go up against a Bijuu." Blamed Ino.

"Nah, it was more like because you are a very temperamental person. Just one of the things I love about you." Smiled lovingly Naruto. Ino didn't stand a chance. Her anger was washed away by his sweetness. It was always like this. One moment she's angry at him, the next she's pudding in his arms. But it's okay, it the end it's her victory.

"One of these days, your sweet talking won't work. What will you do then?" grinned sweetly Ino.

He smiled back, "This." He gave her a kiss reserved only for her which she gladly accepted and returned it with equal force. The kiss would have lasted longer if it weren't for someone rudely interrupting them.

"**There will be none of that in here."growled Kurama, annoyed with the two humans in heat.**

The teens in heat both stood up with embarrassed looks on their faces. They forgot for a moment where they actually were. But even a kiss in a mindscape felt great.

"Sorry about that. Got a bit carried away." Grinned Naruto sheepishly, scratching his head while Ino did the same.

Kurama was annoyed but let it go. He didn't want to talk about that for another second. Not if he can help it.

"**You wanted to talk to me, little girl? Speak!"**yelled Kurama frighteningly, which made Ino falter a bit but Naruto took her hand in his and squeezed her in support. She gave him a small smile in return and her confidence returned to her.

She let go of Naruto's hand and took a step forward. She looked up towards Kurama, her eyes stern and her look serious and unrelenting. Kurama was waiting for her to do her thing.

She surprised him by her next move.

She bowed deeply and said full of gratitude, "Thank you!"

Kurama eyes widened in surprise but only for a moment. His pride came knocking on his door.

"**Don't thank me. I don't need your thanks. I didn't do it for you or anyone else. I did it for myself." Growled Kurama.**

But Ino's warm smile on her face wouldn't fade away. She repeated, "Still, thank you. I owe you my happiness. Thank you!" repeated again and again Ino.

Kurama let out a gust of wind which sent Ino skidding backwards but was caught by Naruto who had a confident and proud look on his face. He helped her hold on and push against the wind which was slowly losing power.

The powerful wind receded after a few excruciating moments. Ino was still on her feet and the warm smile still on her face which made Kurama scowl in annoyance in anger. He doesn't need praise or compliments. He didn't do it from the goodness of his heart. He did it because it benefited him. It definitely wasn't because for the first time since the Sage of the Six Paths he was treated with respect by another human, his prison nonetheless. It also wasn't because he actually respects and cares for his host. No, definitely not.

Ino smiled on, "Thank you. I, Ino Yamanaka, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Thank you for saving the blonde idiot."

Why is she still insisting on thanking him?

"**I told you to stop! I am the great Nine Tailed Fox, the strongest being in the universe. I have never and never will need a thank you from a human." Bellowed Kyuubi was losing his patience.**

Ino continued on, not wanting to let it go. This is something she had to do. Naruto looked at her with a proud smile. Not many people would do that and against Kyuubi no less. Ino keeps on amazing him.

She said once again, this time also with warmth and love, "Thank you!"

Kurama had enough. He will show her why he is feared throughout the world. He is a Demon that all humans fear. He is a monster that has killed thousands with no regret. He will show her who the great Kurama is.

He lashed out at her with his big claw, trying to intimidate her. The claw was inching closer to Ino but she stood her ground and so did Naruto although barely. He had faith in both Ino and Kurama.

Ino's face stayed the same. The smile never left her face even in the face of death. Kurama's claw was inches away from striking her but it stopped an inch before her face.

He scowled yet again. She stood her ground even when she faced death. Why? Why doesn't she fear him?

"**Why didn't you move? Why don't you fear me?" raged Kurama, baffled by this human, no, woman.**

Ino smiled on. Her hand slowly rose until it reached Kurama's claw. Her hand landed gently on his claw and squeezed it gently, "Because you are not a monster. You are our savior. You are Naruto's savior and my savior. You are a comrade from the Village Hidden in the Leaf. You are our friend." Declared Ino, shocking both Naruto and Kurama.

Naruto recovered first and his smile widened at his girlfriend's declaration. If that didn't reach out to Kurama then he didn't know what would.

Kurama was still stunned by her declaration. It reminded him of Naruto's words during the war. The words that made him trust a human once more. Words that changed him for the better, back to what he used to be before all the hatred and pain. And now there was another human saying the same thing.

Kurama closed his eyes and relived all the moments from the moment he was created till now. He remembered the Old man, his love for him and for his brethren. He remembered his goodbye when he left them. He remembered his life from that point on. He was turned into a Demon because of the humans and their wicked ways. He was turned into a weapon to use for their selfish reasons. Things changed once again when he was imprisoned into Mito and Kushina Uzumaki. They treated him with respect he deserved and didn't look down upon him. And then there was Naruto Uzumaki, the man that restored his faith into humanity. Last but not least there is now Ino Yamanaka and her heartfelt words. Can he trust her like he trusts Naruto? He senses no deceit in her words. Is that enough?

Ino had the answer for him, "It's okay if you don't like me or trust me or recognize me. I don't need that. I just wanted to thank you for everything you've done for us and what you continue to do for us. I hope in time you'll be able to see me as someone you trust." Smiled Ino thruthfully.

Naruto went and walked towards her side. He squeezed her hand yet again and smiled beautifully towards her. She smiled back at him, thanking him for this opportunity.

"It's time to go Ino. Your time is up. You need to return to your body." Said Naruto.

She nodded at him and looked back towards Kurama who was still struggling with his answer. She said to Naruto, "I'll see you on the other side." Naruto nodded who gave Kurama a goodbye before he closed his eyes and left his mind.

Ino stayed for a moment longer just enough to her Kurama's parting words, **"Take care of him."**

She smiled at his words and said, "I will. That is my promise of a lifetime to you."

With that her presence in Naruto's mind vanished, leaving behind a very confused but grateful Demon.

When Ino woke up yet again she was being held by Naruto in his arms. He was smiling down at her, "I'm proud of you Ino. Thank you for doing that."

She beamed right back, "It just came to me. That is what my heart was telling me to do."

"That's a wonderful heart you have there, Ino Yamanaka." Responded Naruto while giving her a very long and loving kiss.

In the meantime Kurama noticed something, something from his past. This field was familiar to him. He interrupted their kissing, **"Kid, look left." Ordered Kurama.**

Naruto parted his lips from Ino's and looked confused towards the left. Ino was also confused as to what was happening," Naruto, what's up?". He remained silent. **"Now look right." Ordered Kurama yet again.**

He did as his partner asked of him and looked right. Kurama had a serious look on his face. The clearing was a bit different but it was definitely the one. What a coincidence this is.

"**Kid, ask the girlie if there was once a path in the middle of this clearing." Said Kurama, leaving Naruto in the dark about the whole situation.**

He did as he asked, even though he had no idea what was just happening. But he figured everything would be explained eventually.

He turned back towards Ino, "Um, Kyuubi asked you if there was once a path that ran through the middle of this clearing?"

Ino blinked, surprised by the answer and the owner of the question. She had no idea what was going on.

"Yeah, there was. But that was a long time ago. I found this place when I was 7 and the path was already heavily overgrown by plants. Why do you ask?" answered Ino.

Kyuubi mulled this piece of information over in his head. He was right. This is it. This is the clearing.

"Kurama, what's going on?" asked a baffled Naruto.

"**If you want to know, pack your things and head North. You will soon find out." Said Kurama who was very serious about this.**

"Uhm, Ino, do you mind if we stop this picnic short? Kyuubi wants to show us something." Asked Naruto, feeling bad about ruining their relaxing time.

"Yeah, no problem. It must be important if it is coming from him." Answered back Ino, who was intrigued. Naruto sealed everything back into the sealing scroll and took hold of Ino's hand and then started walking North.

Kurama would give him direction towards his unknown destination. After a few moments he said stop.

"**We are here." Finished Kurama.**

Both Ino and Naruto asked the same thing, "What is this place?"

Kurama responded cryptically,** "This is the beginning."**

The end! This is it for chapter 12. I hope you like it. I hope I didn't make Kurama too soft or anything.


	13. Chapter 13

Here is another chapter. Thanks for reading and I hope you like this one. Sorry for a slight delay in posting this chapter. I had a lot of work for college and my club. This are going to get hectic in the coming month. A lot of exams and games. I'll try to update regularly.

Disclaimer: Naruto is not mine.

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"**This is the beginning." Said Kurama vaguely.**

Naruto and Ino both stared into the field in front of them. Confused looks adorned their faces. What was this? Why were they here?

"Naruto, why are we here? There is nothing here." Asked Ino who was confused but still very interested in what was going on. It better be good because it got in the way of their picnic.

It was a legitimate question. The clearing was nothing special. It was just a simple clearing with a few bushes and flowers, nothing that really stood out. Why did Kyuubi lead them here?

Naruto was meanwhile scanning the clearing thoroughly. Something didn't feel right to Naruto. Something was off with this picture, he could feel it. Something was hidden here and whatever it is it was hidden by a master of the Shinobi Arts.

"No, something is definitely here. I can feel it. Something doesn't feel right. A barrier maybe?" answered Naruto, forcing Ino to scan the area once again, this time in detail.

"But barriers don't hide things, do they? I thought they only protect them." Pondered further Ino.

Naruto continued with the information gathering, "A Genjutsu over a Barrier? Genjutsu for concealing whatever is hidden here and a Barrier for protection. It sounds possible but why? Why the need for so much protection? Just the Barrier itself must be one of the best in the world for it to be hidden from my sight. And a Genjutsu on top of that? Something very important is kept here."

"Ask Kyuubi. He must know since he led us here." Remarked Ino. Naruto nodded and closed his eyes to seek answers from Kurama.

"Kurama, care to explain?" inquired Naruto. Kurama was very secretive regarding this place. Something must have happened here. Something important.

"**No. Everything will be clear as soon as you drop the Barrier." Responded Kurama, not divulging the information regarding this place.**

Naruto scowled, displeased with his answer. He was getting a bit impatient and that is never a good thing.

"Stubborn fox. Any ideas on how to break the Barrier? I'm pretty sure I can't disable it with normal means. It's way out of my league of Skills. Power?" asked Naruto impatiently.

**Kurama snorted, "Of course you wouldn't be able to disable it with the level of Sealing you are now. This was done by the greatest Sealing Master known to mankind. You are still but a child to him."**

Naruto pouted at his remark. He knew it was out of his league but he could have been less insulting about it.

"So Power?" asked again Naruto, not wanting to hear anymore insults directed at his Skills.

"**Yes, Power. Don't ask questions you already know the answer to. Now go!" ordered Kurama, forcing Naruto of the mindscape.**

Naruto opened his eyes and sighed. The Fox can be quite demanding sometimes.

"Well?" asked an also impatient Ino.

"He won't talk. He said we'll find out once we disable the barrier and the Genjutsu." Grumbled an annoyed Narutuo.

Ino was also disappointed and was starting to get irritated. Seriously, why all the secrecy? Just tell her already, dammit.

"I suck at Genjutsus so would you do the honors Ino?" asked Naruto.

She nodded and turned towards the seemingly uninteresting field. She closed her eyes and concentrated. She made the hand sign for Kai and waited for the Genjutsu to drop.

After a few moments of waiting and still nothing happened. She turned towards Naruto who had a focused look on his face.

"Why doesn't it work?" asked a baffled Ino. She may not be an expert when it comes to Genjutsu but she knows a thing or two about dispelling Genjutsus, even higher ones.

Naruto hummed in deep thought and stroked his chin, "Try again. This time use more Chakra."

She nodded, coming to the same conclusion as he did.

She repeated the procedure while using more Chakra to dispel the Illusion but again nothing happened.

She was getting annoyed with this Genjutsu. And an annoyed Ino should be avoided at all costs.

"Oh, come on. Why doesn't it work, for Christ sakes?" Huffed angrily Ino.

Naruto saw that Ino was getting very irritated with this and he couldn't blame her. He wasn't far off from blowing a gasket or two.

He offered his theory of the problem, "It could be a regenerative Genjutsu. Which means we have to disable both the Barrier and the Genjutsu at the same time. If I'm right that is, of course."

Ino calmed down a bit, understanding the logic behind his explanation. She was a bit surprised at how level headed Naruto remained and how much he knew about all this stuff. He continues to amaze her.

"How do you want to do this?" asked Ino, still a bit irritated but focused on the job.

"I overpower the Barrier with my strength while you dispel the Genjutsu the moment I break the Barrier. Chances are that they are connected to each other which would mean that the Barrier is also a regenerative one. We have to disable them at the same time otherwise it won't work. Got it?" responded professionally Naruto.

Ino nodded seriously, waiting for his mark to start.

Naruto inhaled a deep breath. In a blink of a second he was now in front of what looked like the beginning of the Barrier. He reared his fist back, coating it in his powerful Chakra. His fist made contact with what seemed to be an invisible wall and produced a powerful shockwave, rustling the nearby trees.

A second later a crack started to form on the invisible wall and it started to expand the next second. Ino saw this as her mark to do her part, dispelling the Illusion. She focused and used even more Chakra than before and said Kai.

The Barrier broke apart the next second and the Illusion faded with it, revealing a cave like structure in front of them. It was surrounded by a small body of water. This mountainous structure had slopes that were perfect for defense against any attacks. It looks like its purpose was to keep something hidden or to protect someone or something.

"Wow! This place is huge." Shouted Ino in amazement.

Naruto was deep in thought. He had a strange feeling in his gut. It's like he's been here before. It felt so familiar to him.

"ANBU will be here shortly. The Barrier had an alarm system built into it. Let's take a look inside before they drag us away." Remarked Naruto, waking Ino from her admiration of the place.

"How long?" asked Ino.

"5 minutes tops." Answered shortly Naruto.

"No time to waste then. Let's go." Grinned Ino in excitement.

Naruto smiled at the running blonde he calls his girlfriend. She can be such a child when it comes to things that she enjoys.

He sped forward and caught up with her in a second, surprising the blonde bit but she shook it off. She got used to his surprises by now, what's one more, huh.

They stopped before the entrance to the cave. It was dark and it felt ominous. Definitely not a place for relaxation.

" Why is it always a dark place? Why can't it be a place of butterflies or birds? No, it has to be some big dark cave with big, stupid bats that fly into your hair." Snorted in annoyance Ino.

Naruto grinned at her complaints, "We are ninjas. Where's the fun in exploring a place with butterflies?"

"Screw being ninjas. I want a vacation." Huffed Ino.

Naruto laughed at her childish response, "We'll rest when we die. Now, let's go. ANBU will be here any moment now."

Ino sighed. I guess it couldn't be helped.

"Fine. But you are paying for my haircut after this." Chuckled Ino. Naruto smiled in response and walked into the cave with Ino following a second later.

As they entered, a squad of ANBU materialized in front of the cave. The leader of the squad spoke up, "Send word to Hokage-sama. Uzumaki Naruto just entered the Cave of Isolation." A single ANBU vanished from his spot and went to fulfill his mission.

As soon as Naruto entered, torches flickered to life around them.

"Hell yeah! Torches mean no bats. Thank you God!" screamed Ino in happiness.

Naruto stayed silent instead focusing on his surroundings and trying to remember if he was here before. So far no luck but it seems there is a memory buried somewhere deep inside his mind. It's just hard to bring out.

Ino saw that Naruto was very quiet and was looking around frantically, like he was searching for something.

"Are you alright, Naruto?" asked a concerned Ino.

Naruto responded, "I'm fine. This place feels familiar to me but I don't know why."

Ino nodded at his answer. She focused on her surroundings as well, trying to figure out what this cave was and what it was meant for.

"Oi, Kurama! What is this place?" yelled Naruto internally at his partner.

"**Just keep on walking. You'll find out soon enough." Yelled back an annoyed Kurama.**

Naruto scoffed at him and his stubbornness. Why can't the damn fox just tell him!

They walked for a minute or so until they saw an entrance to what seemed to be a big hall or something like that.

It was the size of a normal room, nothing special. It wasn't furnished or decorated. It was just a simple room with 4 walls surrounding it. The only things in the room were the torches on the wall and huge slab of concrete in the middle.

Naruto and Ino approached the piece of concrete. It was the size of a bed or a bit bigger. It had metal handles on each side. It looked like it had a special purpose.

"Why is this here? It doesn't make sense. Why would this be here, in a highly protected mountain?" pondered Ino out loud.

Naruto was asking himself the same thing. Alas, no answer, just yet.

Naruto reached out and touched the metal handles on the concrete. He didn't know why he did that but he felt compelled to touch them.

He expected the handle to be cold but it wasn't. It was warm, very warm. Which shouldn't be possible. This room looked like it hasn't been used for a long time but then why are the handles warm!

This warmth felt good on his skin. Like it belonged to him. Like it was meant for him. I know it sounds stupid but that's how it feels to Naruto.

"Anything, Naruto? Do you remember anything?" asked Ino in concern.

Naruto shook his head sadly. Whatever this place here is, it must be connected to him.

"**Have you found out yet? Do you know why I brought you here?" asked Kurama.**

"No. I feel like I should remember this place but I can't. What was this place used for?" asked Naruto.

"**Figures you don't remember. It was a long time ago. This place is called the Cave of Isolation or at least that's what you humans call it. I call it my Hell. This is the place Konoha used to transfer me from one Jinchuriki to another. This place hides my chakra which makes it perfect for some 'other things' as well. Ring any bells?" chuckled Kurama.**

Naruto eye's went wide with disbelief. If he's right, then this is… this is…

**Kurama chuckled at his expression, "It looks like you figured it out, huh. About time. Yes, this is the place of your beginning. This is the place of your birth and the place where your parents met their end."**

Naruto had his eyes closed, his tears falling freely now. He found his last remaining link to his parents. He found his birthplace. The place where he was a part of the Namikaze family even if it was just for a moment.

This is where his parents held him for the first time and for the last time. This is where that bastard ruined his life. He could have a family. He could have a mother that would hold him, kiss him, hug him. He could have had a loving father who would teach him all about being a Shinobi. A father that would protect him with everything he got. But that bastard ruined everything. He took away his family and his life.

Naruto was shaking with anger and sadness. All the bad memories came rushing back to him. If it weren't for that man he would have been happy with a family instead of scavenging for food on the streets. All the glares, whispers, hatred. All because of that man.

Ino saw him crying and shaking and her heart broke for him. He must have remembered something and it wasn't pleasant.

She gave him a comforting hug, trying to ease his pain and sorrow. It's the only thing she could think of that she could do to help right now.

Naruto was taken away from his bad thought and memories with the help of Ino. Now, different memories appeared in his mind. Ero-sennin, Grandma, Kakashi, Sasuke, Sakura, Lee, Neji, TenTen, Shino, Sai, Shikamaru, Temari, Gaara, Kankuro,Kiba, Konohamaru, Moegi, Udon, Hanabi, Hinata, Ayame, Teuchi, Asuma,Kurenai, Asuma Jr.,Anko,Shizune, Killer Bee, A, old man Tsuchikage, Mizukage, Haku, Zabuza and… Ino. All of them invaded his mind, smiling at him, protecting him from that pain.

Someone put a hand on his shoulder. He turned around and saw 'them'. His parents were smiling at him. He felt his eyes get teary but he couldn't help it. He saw them again even if it is only in his mind. He realized something just now. They have been taken away from him but the memories he has of them can never be taken away. The memories of his wonderful parents will stay with him forever. Mom and Dad will be there for him in spirit, watching over him and protecting him.

"You okay, Naruto? Don't worry, I'm here for you." Smiled sadly Ino, sobbing a bit for his pain.

Naruto smiled sadly down at his beautiful and caring girlfriend, "I will be fine. I just remembered something. Something that happened a long time ago."

Ino looked up, her eyes teary and puffy, "Can you tell me?"

Naruto smiled sadly at her, she looked so cute right now, "Sure."

"**I have a better idea. How about I show you?" offered Kurama who was acting a bit more humble and kind if that is possible.**

"How? And why?" asked a baffled Naruto.

**Kurama scoffed at his denseness, " You forget I was here when it happened. I will grant you access to that particular memory but only this one time. Think of it as a gift if you like. But don't you dare thank me afterwards because you'll regret it."**

"Really? That's great Kurama." Shouted an excited Naruto, his pain forgotten for the moment.

"**Yeah, yeah. Just tell that girlie of yours to establish a mental link so we can start." Said Kurama.**

Naruto nodded at him.

"Ino, how about I show you instead?" said Naruto calmly.

Ino was confused, "Uhm, not to be rude or anything but how can you do that?"

"Establish a mental link between us and Kyuubi will do the rest." Smiled a bit more happily now Naruto.

She nodded a bit reluctantly but she complied. Sharing a memory isn't a foreign thing to her but she never did it with a giant Demon before.

She did as he asked of her and created the bridge between their minds. She waited for Kyuubi to start and so was Naruto.

"**Took you long enough. Here we go!" said Kurama loudly. He closed his eyes and willed that particular memory to show itself in Naruto's mind. In a second or so the memory began…**

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"Push Kushina. We are almost there!" shouted Biwako, Hiruzen's wife and the woman in charge of the birth of Naruto.

Kushina yelled out in pain, sweat rolling down her face by the gallons. Her hands were gripping the handles with all her strength. I could swear I heard the metal creak from the force.

"Just a bit more, honey. Just a bit more and we'll be a family." Cried out Minato, the soon to be father to his wife and soon to be mother. He was currently encouraging his wife and focusing on the seal of the Fox so that he doesn't escape during the birthing process.

Kushina who wanted to respond to her husband's beautiful and heartfelt remark but the pain was overwhelming. It took all of her willpower to just push let alone talk.

She let out another yell of pain and anguish, scaring Minato a lot. He gripped her hand in support and encouraged her on.

"Is this normal? I've never seen Kushina in so much pain!" said a concerned Minato.

"Of course it's normal. This is birth. This is why women give birth and not men. Men are weak." Scoffed Biwako while concretating on delivering the baby.

Kushina yelled out once again. The pain was unbearable. People tell you that birth is painful but not this kind of painful. This was Hell.

"Almost there, baby. Just a bit longer." Encouraged Minato.

Kushina nodded albeit barely and summoned all her remaining strength for one last push.

"This is it Kushina! One more push and we're there." Yelled Biwako, fatigue etched on her face.

Kushina let out one final, big wail of pain and determination. The result, a new life.

The child was strong judging from his screaming. Biwako and her assistant Taji rushed to get hot water and some blankets for the new boy.

Minato was the happiest man in the world. His eyes were teary and his lips were formed into the biggest smile the world has ever seen.

"I'm a father! I'm finally a father!" yelled out Minato, pure joy in his voice.

The baby was handed to his mother, Kushina. Kushina was sobbing and crying at seeing her baby, her Naruto. For so long she wanted a family of her own and now her wish has come true. Her life was perfect now. A loving husband and a beautiful baby boy she calls her son.

She held the boy close to her face, rubbing against his cheek, crying tears of joy at seeing her bundle of joy.

"Naruto. I'm your Mother. You made me the happiest woman on Earth. I love you!" declared lovingly Kushina,like a mother would.

Minato got closer to his wife and son. His family. He enveloped both of them in a hug. The first hug that shows them as a family. The parents were experiencing joy like never before and her feelings are shown on their faces, smiles, tears…

"You did it honey. We are a family now! Thank you Kushina!" smiled lovingly Minato, squeezing his family even tighter.

Kushina smiled at her dotting husband, "We did it! You, Minato, turned my life from a wreck to THIS! I'm so happy to have met you, Minato. I love you!"

"I love you too Kushina! And I love you too Naruto, my son!" tears rolling down Minato's cheeks.

"Naruto, my son! I love you with all my heart and I will show it to you every single day for the rest of my life! I love you!" sobbed happily Kushina.

Naruto cooed in response to his parents' heartwarming confessions. He was surrounded by the love of his mother and father for the first time and as fate would have it for the last time.

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Ino was openly crying at the emotional and heart wrecking memory. This was so beautiful and wonderful. She can't put into words. It made her heart warm seeing Naruto's parents fill Naruto with love the moment he was born. This could be Naruto's life but fate took it away from him. She couldn't help it but cry at his sorrow and pain.

Naruto was smiling and crying tears of joy. No sound was coming from him crying. He was smiling at the memory he just witnessed and received. He will remember this for the last of his life. Seeing his mom and dad and how they loved him with all their hearts really brightened up his life right now. He was replaying his meeting with both of them and smiled even wider. He got another glimpse into the life of his parents and how wonderful they were. They would have been the best parents ever. No, they are the best parents anyone could wish for.

He is proud to be called the son of Uzumaki Namikaze Kushina and Namikaze Minato. He is proud of his parents and loves them dearly. May you rest in peace. You deserve it!

Ino broke the link and ran into Naruto's arms. She wanted to be surrounded by his warmth right now. She wanted to be there for him now. She can't even imagine how Naruto must feel right now. To see his parents one more time and saw what how wonderful they were and realize what kind of life he could have led. It must be heartbreaking!

Naruto hugged her tighter to his body, feeling her sobbing into his chest, releasing her pain and his pain onto his chest. He caressed her back and stroked her beautiful, long hair gently, trying to calm her down and tell her it's okay.

"It's okay Ino. I'm alright." Smiled gently Naruto.

Ino shook her head negative in his chest, "How can it be alright? They were so wonderful Naruto. And they were taken away from you!" sobbed Ino.

Naruto smiled at his girlfriend, " My heart breaks because they aren't here with me but this, what I just saw right now, filled my heart with love and joy. I would do anything to have them here by my side but that is an impossible wish right now. I'll take the next best thing, my memory of them. I saw how much they loved me and cared for me. I saw what kind of parents they were and would have been. Just knowing that I was in their hearts, means everything to me. So please, don't cry. I'll be fine."

Ino started t calm down, her sobbing and crying subsided. A smile appeared on her face while looking up at her wonderful boyfriend of 2 months. In the last 2 months she learned more about him than all her life before. And he keeps on amazing her and she is falling for him, deeper and deeper.

"You are such a wonderful guy, Naruto. Only you can turn misery into happiness." Smiled Ino.

Naruto grinned back at the now happy Ino, "Just part of my charm."

Ino giggled at his teasing response. Naruto's heart fluttered hearing her sweet voice. This woman was planted firmly in his heart and she isn't leaving, not for a long time.

He interrupted her giggling and surprised her by kissing her passionately. She was caught off guard only for a second. She let go of her defenses and went with the flow of Naruto's passion. Naruto couldn't get enough of her. Her lips, her scent, her voice, her skin, her eyes, everything is so wonderful to him. She was perfect.

After a while their lip lock ended, both breathing deeply. Ino smiled and rested her head back onto his chest and nuzzle deeper into him, wanting to feel him.

Naruto had a content and loving smile on his face, "Did I tell you how amazing you are, Ino?"

Ino giggle and blushed, "Not today."

"Well, I think something should be done for that, right?" smiled Naruto.

"Definitely." Giggle further Ino, enjoying the attention from Naruto.

Naruto smiled at her, "Thank you Ino, for being here with me, for me. I wouldn't share this with anyone else but you."

Ino's heart was tingling and the butterflies in her stomach remerged, all because of him.

She blushed, "You are spoiling me, Naruto."

"You deserve it." Smiled Naruto further, her blush only increasing his happiness. Ino let out a content sigh while snuggling against him. It felt great to be Naruto's girlfriend.

"Ready to leave?" asked Naruto. She nodded. Seeing that she was comfortable in his arms, he picked her up bridal style and started walking towards the exit. Ino leaned against him and enjoyed this peaceful moment.

The exit of the cave was in sight of Naruto and Ino. When they walked in they were immediately surrounded by 2 squads of ANBU commanded by Tsunade Senju herself.

Naruto put Ino on the ground and faced his leader, his commanding officer and his Grandma. It was Tsunade who spoke up first, "I see you found it."

Naruto nodded seriously, "Yes."

Tsunade sighed, "Look Naruto, the reason I didn't tell you…" She was caught off by Naruto, "It's okay Grandma. I don't blame you. You are the Hokage and you have your secrets and so do I. No need to delve further into this. I found what I was looking for."

Tsunade smiled softly at him, at her 'grandson', the last of her kin. She nodded at his answer.

"Then I guess you know what this place is and its purpose?" asked Tsunade.

Naruto nodded, "Yep. A little birdie told me everything." Smiled Naruto. Ino smiled at the little birdie comment. She pictured Kyuubi as a bird and it was a funny image.

Kyuubi disagreed, **"Damn brat."**

Tsunade smiled at the hidden meaning, or not so hidden meaning. The ANBU also had an idea who the birdie was but didn't voice their thoughts or concerns. They had faith in Hokage and their savior.

"How the hell did you find this place? This is supposed to be a top secret location, protected by Barriers and Illusions. How did you manage to find it?" asked an interested Tsunade.

Naruto scratched his head, "Well, the little birdie was extra helpful today." Grinned Naruto.

Tsunade shook her head. Who knew Kyuubi would be such a gentle spirit one day? Not that she would say that out loud. Kyuubi is still eons ahead of her in strength.

"I'm sure you know this stays between us." Said Tsunade seriously, looking both at Naruto and Ino. Both of them nodded sternly and seriously. This is still a secret location, known only to the Hokage and a few select ANBU.

"Good. Now let's go. I need to talk to you in my office." Smiled Tsunade.

"Can you wait a minute? There is something I have to do." Declared Naruto, eliciting a raised eyebrow from Ino, Tsunade and from the ANBUs, not that you could see that.

"Uh, sure. Make it quick, though!" said Tsunade, waiting to see what he will do. Probably something very Naruto-ish.

Naruto nodded and turned towards Ino, "Ino, can you take a few steps back please." Ino complied with his request and went to stand beside Tsunade and the rest of the ANBU.

Naruto smiled at her and turned back towards the entrance of his birthplace.

He closed his eyes and spoke to his partner, "Hey Kurama, would you lend me a hand with this?

"**You are lucky, I'm feeling mighty generous today. Don't forget about my 'walk' afterwards." Grinned Kurama.**

Naruto smiled at the big beast, "Thanks, don't worry I didn't forget. Now, let's do this!"

Kyuubi channeled his chakra into Naruto's system and entered his perfect Bijuu Mode. He opened his eyes. With the image of what he wants to do forming in his head, he set to work.

His chakra lashed in synchronized moves against the solid rock over the entrance of the cave. The chakra batted out the rocks unneeded for the image he wants to make. His chakra arms formed lines and molded them into letters.

After a few moments the crowd was left speechless. It was so beautiful and so thoughtful of him. Only Naruto would think of something like this. Ino was smiling widely at her increasingly wonderful boyfriend. Tsunade was getting teary at the sight before her but remained her composure as the commanding officer.

Naruto smiled proudly at his work. It turned out perfectly. Just like he imagined.

What he did was a memorial to his parents and to their wonderful heart and spirit.

First he created an image of them and him as well.

Kushina was standing proudly and was smiling happily. Behind her was Minato with his arms around her and holding her stomach and his head over her shoulders with the biggest smile on his face, a smile of a father. In Kushina arms was a small bundle and in it was the newly born Naruto. It was the first picture ever made of the Namikaze Uzumaki Family.

Below the picture read, "The Home of the Uzumaki Namikaze Family!" It was the perfect scene. It represented another future. A future that could have happened but didn't. A future where Naruto's parents lived and loved with all their hearts. A future that will forever stay in Naruto's heart and mind.

Ino went to stand beside him and leaned against his shoulder, smiling at the picture on the mountain.

"This is so wonderful, Naruto. You just made your parents even prouder." Smiled wonderfully Ino.

Naruto smiled at her and at the picture he made for his parents, "This is what is in my heart right now. This is what I want in the future for myself. I will make my parents proud."

Ino smiled lovingly at him and his wish. Oh, how she wants that to happen for him. Who knows, she might be there with him.

Tsunade turned away from the scene and with a look send her ANBU away. She also made herself scarce and teleported back to her office but not before sending one last smile at the couple and at the memorial of her friends and family.

Naruto and Ino stayed there for a few minutes, Ino in his arms. They were just enjoying the moment, not wanting to let this kind of moment pass them by. This was their relationship, moments like these. These intimate moments are what define their relationship. It speaks volumes when a couple can share the most secret, intimate secrets to each other. It means they trust each other inexplicably.

Ino was thinking of how she bagged such an amazing and caring guy. Not in a million years did she imagine that Naruto was such a romantic and thoughtful man. It was such a far cry from the loud and stubborn guy he usually is. But it was that stubborn and loud and happy person that she first noticed. This other side is just a bonus to an already perfect guy. She couldn't see herself with anyone else than Naruto right now. He makes her happy, he makes her smile, he holds her like no one before. He is there for her, always and forever. He is a part of her as she is a part of him. He completes her. He makes her a better person she could ever be on her own. She is really starting to fall for him.

Naruto had similar thoughts but on a deeper level. He was thinking of his parents and their love for each other and for their son, him. He saw in that memory how they looked at each other. It was a look between lovers and two people deeply in love. The love which he also wants to experience and take joy in. He looked down at his beautiful girlfriend, both in body and in spirit. He wouldn't give her up for anything in the world, be it status, money, power or women. In the last 2 months they've been together, she made him a happier person. Every day with her is a blessing to him. Every day is full of smiles and laughs, occasional playful bickering which he absolutely loves. Her fiery personality, which first got his attention when he saw her for the first time, really comes out in their arguments. He likes how she is an independent, confident woman. A woman who knows what she wants and will do anything to get it. It just so happens Naruto is on her list. Not that he minds, or anything. If he is honest with himself, the woman who is currently in his arms is already deeply planted in his heart. She has been for quite a while now. And she isn't leaving. Not if he has a say in it. He hopes she feels the same.

They both looked at each other at the same time, both blushes on their faces from what they were thinking. Both were smiling at the other, both expressing their joy of being in each other's arms.

"We need to go, gorgeous. Grandma still wants to see us in her office." Smiled lovingly Naruto.

Ino nodded and the blush remained on her face, courtesy of his honest compliment.

Naruto smiled and nodded at her. He picked her up the usual way, not that Ino had any objections to it or anything. Naruto used Shuunshin and teleported them into the middle of Tsunade's office, who was waiting for them to arrive behind her desk.

"We're here." Screamed Naruto, grinning foxily. Ino smiled at the Hokage in Naruto's arms, not embarrassed by the situation and position at all.

Tsunade smiled at the beautiful couple before her. They looked so good together and it reminded her of Jiraiya and herself. The pervert would kill to be in the same position with Tsunade in her arms.

Tsunade smiled, "Good. Take a seat."

Naruto plopped down onto the chair before the desk, Ino still in his arms much to her amusement.

"What's up Grandma?" grinned Naruto.

Tsunade gained a small, much smaller than usual, tick mark on her forehead. She hated and loved that nickname. If only he weren't her family, she could beat the shit out of him.

She sighed, " I have a mission for you, Naruto."

Naruto raised an eyebrow, "That's normal, I guess. It's been a while since I've been on a one. What do you have in mind?"

Tsunade looked him seriously in the eye," They have resurfaced."

Naruto knew what to do. He was waiting for this.

Done! I'll end it here. I hope you like this one. I tried to do my best with this chappie. I might have tweaked the memory of the birth a bit. I don't know what the exact words were in that particular manga chapter and I was too lazy to check. I hope I nailed it. Anyway, review if you don't like something so I can correct it.

See ya in a couple of days!


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14 of The Aftermath! I apologize for taking so long but I had a lot of stuff for college to do and I still do. The next two weeks are going to be hell for me. I want to thank you all who reviewed and read the story. I hope you enjoy this chapter as well.

Disclaimer: Not the owner of Naruto.

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A blur was seen racing across the Fire Country. Naruto was currently on a mission of great importance to him. He was waiting for the day 'they' would resurface. And finally they did.

He remembers back to what Tsunade told him.

FLASHBACK:

"As you requested, our spies spotted them in Ame. They crossed the border a day ago. If you are lucky you might catch up to them if you leave now." Said Tsunade to Naruto.

Naruto nodded and thanked her for her help in this matter. She waved him off, saying it was no problem.

Naruto turned towards his girlfriend and kissed her goodbye. When they parted lips Ino asked, "Mind telling me what's this all about?"

"No time, sorry honey. Bachan can tell you after I leave. I'm afraid I can't waste anymore time." Said Naruto, already looking towards the exit.

Ino frowned. Sometimes she really hates the Shinobi life. All the secrecy can be quite annoying.

The frown was then replaced by a gentle smile, "Don't do something stupid. I would hate to come after you."

Naruto chuckled and kisser her again, this time on the nose, eliciting a giggle from Ino, "I'll be back before you know it." With that he disappeared from the room.

Ino sighed and turned towards the older blonde who was waiting for the duo to finish.

Tsunade started, "I'll make this short. I have a bottle of sake waiting for me at home. Naruto asked me to keep an eye on a certain group of ninjas. I'm sure you heard of this particular group. It's called Taki." Ino's eyes widened. Now that's a name she hasn't heard in a long time.

Tsunade continued, "It isn't the group itself that caught Naruto's eyes. It's a particular member that is the focus of Naruto's attention."

Seeing that Tsunade took a dramatic pause, Ino decided to rush her a bit, "Which one are we talking about?"

"The female of the group. The red-hair, Karin. I'm sure you know who I'm talking about." Said Tsunade, observing how Ino would react.

Ino didn't seem fazed by the news. Tsunade was expecting a fit of jealousy or anger at the mention of another girl who was very pretty. It seems Naruto's has her undeniable trust.

She smiled and continued, "I'm sure you are wondering why her in particular. Well, I don't know the whole story but Naruto found out a tiny detail about Karin. Karin's actual name is Uzumaki Karin from the Uzumaki Clan. I'm sure you know where this is going."

Now this shocked Ino. It all makes sense now. Why the sudden interest in this girl! She was Naruto's family, his blood.

"How does he know that?" asked Ino, still stunned by the news.

Tsunade sighed, if only she knew, "He wouldn't tell me. You can ask him when he comes back."

Ino nodded and then asked, "What is he planning to do?"

"Offer her a home, here in Konoha. He'll try to persuade to come back with him." Answered Tsunade, checking the clock to see if her Sake is still cold.

"What about her comrades?" asked Ino, interested in the events that are going to happen soon.

"Beats me. I gave him free reign on this one. I trust his judgment." Answered Tsunade, standing up after finishing that sentence.

"I would love to chit chat but I don't want to keep my Sake waiting. I'll notify you if I hear anything." Said Tsunade while escorting Ino to the exit.

Ino nodded gratefully and said her goodbye. Tsunade went to keep her Sake some company while Ino went to do her bridesmaids' duty.

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While speeding across the Fire Country, Naruto smiled at the thought of reuniting with the last of his family. Besides Tsunade, Uzumaki Karin is the last link to his clan. He's been waiting for this day for two years. It's about time to gather the family.

Pumping more chakra into his legs, he set out to catch up with the elusive group.

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""MEANWHILE""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

"Hiyaaa!" yelled a beautiful red-haired girl, while stomping on a puddle of water? The puddle of water suddenly became a head of some sort of a creature with human features.

The creature spoke, "Would you stop hitting me? I didn't do it on purpose you crazy bitch."

The girl didn't relent on her beating. Whatever he did, the girl was adamant on punishing him.

To understand what was currently happening I have to take you back a couple of minutes.

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Uzumaki Karin was humming happily to herself. She and her band of misfits just returned to their 'home' from a journey of sorts. It wasn't really a journey for her; she was just following Suigetsu and Juugo around while they rid this world of Orochimaru's bases. Those bases couldn't be allowed to exist any longer that's why they decided to find them and destroy them all. They thought it was their duty to do so since they were victims of those places. All the prisoners found there were either released or killed depending in what state they were in. If they were just mindless monsters and were too far gone in madness then they were killed. If they were just normal people, civilians they were released and escorted to the nearest village. Any criminal, murderers, rapist were killed on the spot. Thank God for Orochimaru's files on every single prisoner of his. The files had everything, background, potential, anatomy down to the cellular level and much more. From then on it was a walk in the park, with a lot of slaughtering….

Now, Karin is in need of a much deserved rest. That's why she is currently walking towards the natural Hot springs near Taki's base.

'Taki' she thought to herself. The name brought back a lot of memories, both good and bad. Memories involving Sasuke. Memory she tried to ignore and avoid albeit a bit unsuccessfully.

She sighed, her mood dampened a bit but she perked up when she saw her target of relaxation.

A minute later she was already dipping herself in the warm waters of the Hot Spring.

She leaned her head back and sighed in content. This was sorely needed for the past 2 years.

Her mind wandered in her state of absolute calm. Surprisingly, it wandered to her eccentric teammates. One was an absolute psycho; the other was a psycho hiding beneath a calm exterior. But despite that, she formed a bond with them. While she may not admit that, but she actually enjoys being with them, most of the time anyway. Things get a bit crazy when Juugo starts to rampage but that's just part of his charm. Suuigetsu can be annoying as hell and sometimes she just wants to strangle that blob of water. If only she could realize her wish but NOooo that idiot has to be made of water… A small smile formed on her face when she relived the past 2 years or so. 2 years of happiness, laughter, anger, fury, rage, wrath… Yep, a lot of anger was involved in her life for the past 2 years. The bond of anger and annoyance that holds this little group together… A strange group of friends indeed…

She was caught off from her inner rambling by someone sighing in pleasure… She looked towards the voice and saw something made her white with fury. It was that idiot again…

"Now that's what I call washing away my worries…" sighed Suuigetsu, currently not aware of the danger in front of him. He was aware the next moment though…

"SUUIGETSU!" yelled the Uzumaki Devil. Suuigetsu knew what the voice was, he heard it a lot for the past 2 years. Since he knew what was coming he let nature take over. By nature he meant the beating that was surely to come. That annoying screeching voice always appeared when he was about to receive a beating from his teammate.

Karin lashed out with a roundhouse kick to his face while somehow managing to cover herself with a towel. Suuigetsu's head was blown off, Karin didn't stop there. Next was his body. With a war cry she pounded on the remaining limbs mercifully.

And then came Suuigetsu's response, " Would you stop hitting me? I didn't do it on purpose you crazy bitch.

After Karin depleted her rage-o-meter, she stopped with her kicking and clawing and other stuff. She was breathing heavily and still glaring at the puddle of water which was reforming back into Suuigetsu.

"You really should take anger management classes." Came the response of the battered puddle of water.

Karin growled at him, "What do you want, Suuigetsu?" She was in no mood for any funny games.

Suuigetsu sighed, "I just came to tell you that dinner is ready. You might want to hurry up before that nut-job eats everything."

"I'll be there when I finish my bath. Now, leave before I kill you."

Suuigetsu waved of her threat and started walking away. When he was at a safe distance he yelled back, "By the way, nice rack you got there." And took off running into the forest while dodging any kunais and shurikens Karin threw at him which I have no idea where she got them from.

Karin huffed and puffed and calm down after a few moments. She turned back to her pool of hot water and dived in. Dinner can wait a while longer. This is more urgent right now.

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""10 minutes later"""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Karin was walking back towards their camp or 'home' as she calls it. She was still fuming in her head because of Suuigetsu's blatant intrusion of her private space. But she'll get back at him when he least expects it.

She moved away the final bushes before reaching the clearing where their base is. She came upon a peculiar sight. There was no dinner waiting for her, the bastards, instead she found that her two teammates were currently engaged in a stand-off with a 'visitor' who she recognizes from a couple of years back.

She heard Suuigetsu yell at the man in his usual loud and obnoxious manner, "Hey idiot! What do you want here? You don't belong here."

The man who she now remembers as Uzumaki Naruto, turned his attention to the loud idiot and smirked at him. This just made Suuigetsu even madder. He growled and started reaching for his sword on his back but stopped after Karin landed beside him.

She spoke, "Don't. I don't think he came here to fight. I know this guy. Let me talk to him."

Suuigetsu growled and scoffed, his pride was still hurt by this stranger but relented afterwards. If Karin knew this guy then he will let it slide, for now.

Karin turned towards Naruto who was smiling gently at her which confused Karin.

'Why is he smiling like that?' thought Karin, the natural tinge of reed on her cheek appearing, obviously not used to such affectionate smiles.

She shook of her thoughts and spoke to him, "Naruto, right? What are you doing here? You are a long way from Konoha."

Naruto didn't have time to respond because Suuigetsu started laughing.

"Hahaha, so this is the mighty Uzumaki Naruto? What did Sasuke tell us about you…" said Suuigetsu, remembering the words Sasuke spoke long ago….

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"Naruto is a nuisance and an idiot who will try to change you constantly." Came the blatant response from Uchiha Sasuke while forcing himself through another clone of Naruto's.

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"I think he said you were and idiot and a nuisance. I think I'm starting to see what he meant." Laughed Suuigetsu. When he looked towards the direction where Naruto was standing before he found an empty space. Instead, he could now feel someone breathing behind him and he could swore he felt that the man had a smirk on his face.

He heard, "Is that so?" barely a whisper.

Suuigetsu immediately turned around and tried to strike the man but found nothing but air. He turned back around and saw Naruto standing in his original position.

He turned to his two teammates and saw surprise in their eyes. Karin was sweating at the show of speed while Juugo looked like.. .Juugo, insane and homicidal…

Suuigetsu growled at the man and his taunting. He was about to lunge at the man but Karin stopped him, "Wait Suuigetsu. Let's just all calm down. We don't have to fight him."

Suuigetsu would have none of it. This man insulted him twice. No one does that and lives to tell about it. Not even the Hero of the Nations.

Karin seeing that Suuigetsu wasn't listening to her, put herself between the two and stood her ground. She had a determined look on her face and directed it towards Suuigetsu, "Stop Suuigetsu. Let's just hear him out first. If we aren't satisfied with his answer then you can do whatever you want."

Suuigetsu was grinding his teeth but nodded nonetheless. He sheathed his sword and dropped his stance.

Karin nodded at him and turned around to speak to Naruto who was waiting patiently for her to finish.

"You asked me what I was doing here, right?" said Naruto, taking the initiative.

Karin nodded. Naruto smiled and continued, "I came here in search of my family."

Karin raised an eyebrow. What does searching for his family got to have with them?

"So, you are just passing by?" asked Karin, thinking that this was just all a lucky coincidence.

Naruto chuckled and shook his head, "No, this is the place I was looking for, cousin." Shocked Naruto.

Both Suuigetsu and Juugo were shocked to hear the man speak the word 'cousin'. But their shock paled to that of Karin's. Her eyes went wide; a small tear formed itself in her eye for unknown reasons. Her fingers were twitching and she was shaking. 'How' was the dominant thought in her mind.

Guessing, Naruto answered her unspoken question, "You might ask yourselves, how? Believe me, I was shocked too when I first heard that but it does make sense. Your temper, your potent chakra, your fiery red hair, it all matches. You Karin, are an Uzumaki and my last kin. You are my flesh and blood, Uzumaki Karin."

This just made Karin shake more and disbelief made itself known on her face. This isn't possible. She is an orphan, abandoned by her parents and left for dead. She doesn't belong anywhere. She is just an outcast, an undesirable.

Suuigetsu decided to intervene on Karin's behalf ,seeing that she is still struggling with the information, "How do you know that? You barely know her so how come you know she is an Uzumaki?"

"Simple, Sasuke told me." This earned him another surprise and shock. Karin's head shot up when she heard the word 'Sasuke'.

Naruto continued, seeing that he got all of their attention, "When I fought Sasuke, he told me something about you guys. It seems when he fought Kabuto, he learned that Kabuto injected himself with the DNA of Suuigetsu, Juugo and Karin here. He told him that Karin was from the Uzumaki Clan." Finished Naruto.

Suuigetsu picked up where he left, " He could have been lying. Kabuto was a snake and a liar."

"No, that was no lie." Said Naruto, turning back towards Karin who was watching him intently.

"Karin." Said Naruto. "Yes?" asked shyly Karin.

"You know it's the truth. I know you can feel it." Said Naruto kindly.

Karin was about to speak when an inhuman roar shook through the clearing, alerting everyone. They turned towards the roar and saw Juugo, already transforming into his Berserk state.

Both Suuigetsu and Karin tried to calm him down but they knew the chances of doing that were very slim, "Juugo, calm down. He is not our enemy. Calm down Juugo!" said Karin pleadingly.

But Juugo was already too far gone. His skin turned dark, indicating his Cursed form was now activated. Karin could feel the foul chakra invading Juugo's body. Naruto could too.

Suuigetsu was about to attack Juugo and pin him down so he could calm down but Juugo was faster and lunged at Naruto who took his stance.

Juugo lashed out with his oversized arm, aiming to behead Naruto. Naruto waited to the last moment before he evaded the strike. A knee to the gut followed that evasion. The force from the blow made Juugo stager a bit but only for a moment. With a loud roar he pushed himself off the ground and towards Naruto who sighed to himself.

'It seems his body was designed to withstand a lot of damage. This might take a while.' Thought Naruto, a grin coming to his face in the end. He always enjoyed a challenge.

Juugo once again lashed out with his arm but it was a feint. At the last second the monster retracted his arm. From his back, several tubes formed and chakra started gathering in them.

Naruto's eyes widened. This spelt trouble if the attack hit him.

The attack ready, Juugo roared and unleashed Hell upon his enemy. A loud explosion rocketed the clearing, making both Karin and Suuigetsu shield their face from the debris.

Since the attack was unleashed at point-blank range, even Juugo was affected by the explosion. The shockwave sent him tumbling backwards but his body had no visible injuries besides the occasional smoldering of his skin which seemed to be healing rapidly.

When the smoke cleared, there was no Naruto. Juugo in his berserk state thought he won when he saw no body. He started laughing madly but stopped dead in his track when he heard someone talk behind him.

"Impressive but not good enough. You'll have to do better than that, Juugo." Taunted Naruto, looking no worse for wear. It seems his speed came in handy once again.

Karin felt relieved when she saw that Naruto was okay. She had no idea why, she wasn't close to the guy but she felt like she didn't want to see him die, not just yet.

Juugo let out another roar and tried to elbow Naruto in the gut but failed miserably. By the time Juugo's elbow reached the spot where Naruto was previously located, Naruto was already behind Juugo fist poised for strike. And what a strike it was. Juugo didn't know what hit him. The fist came in contact with his face and a shockwave made itself known because of the power behind the strike. If this was an ordinary opponent, the man would be out cold. But since this was Juugo, he was sent flying towards the forest, where he destroyed a few trees before he stopped.

Naruto waited patiently for the man to stand back up and he didn't have to wait too long. A spike of chakra and the destroyed trees were blown away and revealed a relatively unharmed Juugo. A small trail of blood was running down his forehead but other than that he was fine.

"Tough guy." Muttered Naruto to himself, impressed with Juugo's resilience.

"But I think I dragged this out for too long." Said Naruto, a plan forming in his head.

"**Doton: Yomi Numa" yelled Naruto, slamming his hands on the ground.**

A second later, a large swamp appeared under Juugo's feet. Caught unaware, the swamp imprisoned Juugo and held him in place which worked perfectly for Naruto. Thruthfully, he didn't expect this to work, that's why he made sure to have another attack ready, just in case.

In a burst of speed he appeared on top of the swamp and behind Juugo. He took out his pen and some ink and started scribbling on Juugo's back. It made things a lot more difficult because of Juugo's trashing around but that didn't deter Naruto one bit.

Both Karin and Suuigetsu were looking at the man who faced down Juugo single handedly and won without too much trouble. Even the Raikage needed more time to disable Juugo.

Karin was watching intently at what her 'cousin' was doing to Juugo. All she could see that he was holding a brush and used it to scribble something down on Juugo.

A minute and a major headache later, Naruto was finished. He looked down at the formula he wrote and nodded in satisfaction. There were no flaws and he could proceed.

He went through a string of 20 hand seals and yelled in the end, "SEAL!". He concentrated a bit of chakra into the palm of his hands and slammed the down into the center of the Sealing Formula.

The chakra in his hands connected itself with the characters Naruto wrote earlier. The characters surrounded the center of the Formula and then the magic began.

The foul chakra in Juugo's system was pushed back by Naruto's own overwhelming chakra. The foul chakra was slowly pushed back into its original place. Juugo was screaming, either from pain or because of something else, they didn't know. His skin was turning back into its normal pale color. His eyes lost its maniacal glint and it seems whatever Naruto did, was working.

A minute later, Naruto was looking down upon an unconscious Juugo and sighed in relief. He dispersed the swamp and picked up Juugo and put him over his shoulder.

He started walking towards Karin and Suuigetsu who were still stunned by how simple this man disabled Juugo. Sure they saw Sasuke do it as well but he had the Sharingan. This man used a brush, A BRUSH? Unreal!

Naruto set Juugo down gently and turned towards Karin, "I'm guessing this happens a lot, huh."Chuckled Naruto, brightening the mood a bit.

Karin woke up from her admiration, "Um, yeah, you could say that."

Naruto motioned to both of them to sit down with him which they did.

Karin spoke first, "How did you do that?"

Naruto smiled, "You should know. This is what made the Uzumaki Clan famous. I used Fuuinjutsu."

Karin let out an 'oh' sound and Suuigetsu scoffed. He thought that Fuuinjutsu wasn't a big deal and didn't see why the world made such a fuss about that branch of Ninja Techniques.

Naruto picked up on that scoff and turned towards him, "I see we have a disbeliever in our company." Chuckled Naruto.

Suuigetsu growled, "I don't need the fancy sealing techniques. All I need is a sword and I'm good to go."

"Whatever works for you. But I think you should have an ace up your sleeve in case your sword can't help you." Smiled Naruto. Suuigetsu growled at his remark but made no hostile moves.

Naruto turned towards Karin who was eyeing him, analyzing him, "You don't have red hair. You said that red hair was common among the Uzumaki Clan. Then how come you don't have it?" asked Karin.

"I got my hair from my father who wasn't an Uzumaki." Answered Naruto.

"Wait, you believe him?" asked Suuigetsu in surprise.

Karin was looking towards Naruto, who was smiling gently at her. She nodded with a small smile, "Yes."

Suuigetsu frowned and turned away, mumbling something. The Uzumaki duo paid him no mind.

"So, since we established I'm an Uzumaki, what do you want with me?" asked Karin, straight to the point, as always.

"Come with me." Was the equally straight to the point response from Naruto.

Karin's eyes widened and so did Suuigetsu's although nobody noticed that.

"What?" asked Karin, unsure if she heard him right.

"Come with me to Konoha. You are the last of my family. I want to get to know you." Smiled kindly Naruto.

"No." was Karin's immediate response but it seems Naruto wasn't surprised by her answer. It's like he was expecting it. Suuigetsu definitely wasn't judging from his shocked look.

Naruto chuckled in amusement, "I figured that was the case. May I ask why?"

Karin sent a discreet glance towards both Suuigetsu and Juugo which Naruto caught and smiled, "I see. You are 'home'." Smiled Naruto.

Karin nodded at him while Suuigetsu raised an eyebrow.

"What the hell are you two talking about?" asked Suuigetsu, annoyed that he was left in the dark.

"None of your concern, waterboy." Grinned Karin.

"What was that, you crazy bitch?" growled Karin.

Their bickering was cut short when Naruto started laughing at them. They leveled a glare at him, "What are you laughing at, blondie?" glared Suuigetsu.

Naruto's laughter died down, "I like you guys. You are definitely one weird group. I'm glad you found such good friends, Karin."

"Hey, who said we were friends?" came Suuigetsu's response.

And so did Karin's, "Yeah, what the shark face said. We are not friends, we are just traveling in the same direction."

"Yeah, what the bitch said." Completed Suuigetsu, both unaware that they just insulted each other.

Naruto smiled at them, "Whatever you say." He focused back on Karin, "Since you aren't coming with me, do you mind if I get to you know with what little time I do have here with you?"

She shrugged, "I don't see why not. To be honest, you intrigued me the moment I sensed your chakra that day."

"Well, if you want to know something, please, feel free to ask me." Said Naruto politely.

Karin nodded, "Your chakra, what's the deal with your chakra?"

"You will have to be more precise than that." Said Naruto.

"When I first sensed your chakra, it was warm and inviting but when I dug further I came across something foul and evil. What was that?" asked Karin.

"You probably know already, it's Kyuubi." Said Naruto.

Karin formed an 'o' shape mouth, indicating that she already had her suspicions about it but didn't really know for sure.

"But to be able to sense him is impressive. Not many people can say that they have such sensory skills to sense him inside of me." Complimented Naruto, which earned a blush of embarrassment from Karin.

"That's my special ability. I have good sensory skills and I can heal people when they bite my skin." Said Karin, showing Naruto her 'special' skin.

"Can I touch it?" said Naruto, treading carefully around the subject. It could be uncomfortable for her.

She nodded and Naruto gently rubbed his finger over the skin near her wrist. "It's smooth…" said Naruto.

Karin smiled at his answer. Most people are disgusted when they see her skin. It's nice to see he isn't one of them.

"Does it hurt?" asked Naruto shyly.

"A little bit. It's not the pain that's the worst. The feeling is weird; like someone is sucking you dry of your life force. I can't really describe it." Said Karin.

"Are you in danger when you use it?" asked Naruto in concern for his cousin.

She shook her head, "No, I'm not. Unless I'm really low on chakra I'm fine."

Suuigetsu interrupted their little bonding, "I've got a question for you."

"Shoot." Said Naruto.

"What happened to Sasuke?" said Suuigetsu.

Naruto's mood fell and they both noticed it.

"Why do you wish to know?" asked Naruto.

Suuigetsu shrugged his shoulder, "Just interested, that's all."

Naruto turned towards Karin, expecting to hear her reason, "Same here."

Naruto sighed and then spoke, "He is in a better place now. Away from the hatred that consumed him."

"So you killed him?" shot Suuigetsu, failing to read the situation.

He got a punch in the face from Karin for that remark. Even she could see that it wasn't a pretty subject for Naruto. Hell, it wasn't a good subject for her either.

Suuigetsu head materialized and didn't really pay any extra attention to Karin instead he waited for Naruto to answer which he did.

"Yes." Said Naruto sadly. Karin could swear she saw a tear fall down his cheek but it disappeared in a flash so she wasn't really sure.

"Good riddance." Said Suuigetsu flatly.

Karin glared at him, "Read the mood, you idiot." Suuigetsu just shrugged his shoulders, emotions being a foreign word to him.

"It's okay Karin. I understand his reasoning for saying that." Said Naruto.

"Yeah, he tried to kill me numerous times, abandoned me and Juugo in the Meeting and then tried to kill you. I'm sorry for not missing him but he doesn't deserve it." Elaborated Suuigetsu.

"I know that but still…" said Karin, looking down at her feet, doubts lingering in her mind.

Naruto spoke up, " He wasn't always like that, you know." Karin perked up when he said that.

"Sure, he was always an egotistical asshole but he was also a dear friend to me. Imagine, reliving the death of your entire family over and over…. He lived his life in hatred and waged war against that hatred. But he lost and I thought I could save him but I couldn't…"

A silence ensued for a few moments, even Suuigetsu remained quiet.

Karin spoke, "He always tried to deny it but I could see it in his eyes. You were his friend, always, even in the darkness."

Naruto smiled, "My brother…"

Karin smiled while Suuigetsu had a boring look on his face…

A comfortable silence reigned supreme afterwards, all of them just staring into space.

Naruto looked down at the still unconscious Juugo, "You know, I can help you with him."

"How? You can't exactly cure madness." Said Suuigetsu in disbelief.

Naruto chuckled, "It's not exactly a cure just a failsafe of sorts. I can make you a couple of seals that will forcefully suppress his cursed chakra. A similar one was made when I went berserk with Kyuubi's chakra."

"You can do that?" asked Karin, astonished.

Naruto nodded, "Of course." He formed a clone who knew what to be done. The clone moved away from them where he could work in silence and peace.

"He should be done in a few minutes. So, where have you guys been for the last 2 years?"

Karin told him of their mission to rid the world of Orochimaru's bases and what they did with the prisoners. Naruto was listening closely to her tale, smiling at the parts where she mentioned her two teammates. Even though they are always hostile to one another, there is camaraderie between them.

"We just came from the former Oto where we destroyed Orochimaru's final base." Finished Karin.

"What happened to his research?" asked Naruto.

"Gone along with his bases. If those files got into the wrong hands that could give rise to another Orochimaru." Said Karin.

At that moment the clone came back with two slips of paper with the word for 'Sealing' on it. The clone gave it to the original and then poofed out of existence.

Naruto inspected the seals one final time before giving it to Karin.

Karin raised an eyebrow, "How does this paper work exactly?"

"Simple, distract him then slap this paper somewhere on his body, preferably on his head or torso." Explained Naruto.

"Sneaky little bastard, aren't you? You made only two so that we will have to come to Konoha one day…" grinned Suuigetsu, catching him red-handed.

Naruto scratched his head and chuckled, "What gave you that idea?"

Suuigetsu scoffed and turned away from the grinning blonde.

Naruto stood up and turned towards the setting Sun, "It's getting late. I should be going…"

Karin spoke hastily, "Do you have to?" This earned her a surprised look in both Naruto and Suuigetsu. They both ignored it for the moment.

She blushed in embarrassment when she saw his look of surprise and realized how desperate that sounded, "I mean… It's late and you shouldn't travel at night. It's dangerous."

Naruto smiled down at her. He nodded and sat down again. They spend the night, catching up and telling each other about their lives. Karin told him of her time under Orochimaru and Sasuke while Naruto told her about her friends and family and about his girlfriend, Ino. Karin actually gave him a huge hug after hearing of their relationship and surprising everyone with her reaction. She too realized what she was doing and moved away from him and blushed from embarrassment. Naruto smiled wide at her. It seems there is still a chance for a bond to form between them, perhaps there is one already.

Morning came and Naruto was looking towards the trio. Suuigetsu was bored while Juugo had a hint of acknowledgement in his eyes, probably because of how the blonde defeated him. Karin was smiling at her cousin.

"I guess this is it. Stay safe guys and don't be strangers." Smiled Naruto. Suuigetsu sent him a nod while Juugo surprisingly shook his hand. Karin refused to shake hands with him and instead hugged him once more this time not feeling embarrassed. Naruto relished the hug from Karin. He hoped to meet her again one day.

Before he left he did one last thing, "Here take this." He handed Karin a scroll with a toad drawn on it.

Karin took the scroll and inspected it, "What is this?"

"This is a summoning scroll for my familiar, Gamakichi. If you are ever in trouble, summon him and he will help your or contact me. He already knows about this arrangement and has no problem with it." Smiled Naruto.

Karin beamed, this kinda like a link to her cousin. She held the scroll tightly to her chest and gave Naruto another love-filled hug. She whispered, "Thank you. I will visit as soon as I can. I promise."

Naruto nodded and smiled and moved away from her. He turned around but turned his around, "Uh, could you please take a few steps back and would you please keep quiet about what you will see in a moment?" said Naruto scratching his head and giving them his goofy grin.

The trio raised their eyebrows but complied nonetheless.

Naruto turned around and closed his eyes.

"**Is it finally time?" asked Kurama, excitement present in his voice.**

Naruto nodded internally and went to work and so did Kurama.

Naruto opened his eyes and they were slitted. The pure chakra of Kurama surrounded him and a moment later expanded and grew to unfathomable heights. The trio were privileged to witness Naruto's transformation into the most powerful Bijuu. Their gazes were plastered onto the scene in front of them.

A moment later, the pure yellow chakra formed into the image of the fox with Naruto standing on top of its head, his cloak of chakra billowing in the wind. He turned back and grinned, "See you later." With that the enormous fox made of chakra jumped high into the air and away from their sight.

Suuigetsu still in shock turned towards Karin, "Are all Uzumaki crazy?"

Karin grinned like her cousin normally would and responded with joy in her voice, "YES!"

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Finito! Please review and tell me how I did. If you have any suggestions on what I can include in the story please don't be afraid to tell me. See ya in a week or two…


	15. Author Note!

**AUTHOR NOTE:**

**Even though I'm not part of the authors that are at risk of their stories being deleted, I still support their cause. Deleting stories just because there is some adult content inside is pointless and ridiculous. So please share this on and hopefully we'll make a difference.**

I, along with many, have been writing and posting on your fine site for years now, some of the better examples of up and coming writers out there are are now suddenly finding some of the stories we've come to love at risk of being removed without the chance to even rectify our errors.

For some, that means the permanent loss of a story. While I don't have anything that (I believe) violates your terms of use, there are those out there that are never able to recover a story in it's original form, this is something I find to be almost worthy of a legal action, as while we cannot claim ownership of a character, the stories are OURS and simply destroying them is something that is inexcusable.

It's quite easy to simply add an MA rating, additional filters or even a simple requirement for a free membership to read the stories presented here, and would cut down on hateful anonymous reviews and posts at the same time, so I have to question as to why such a thing, in all this time, simply wasn't added.

If you're worried about falsification of a registration then have an appropriate disclaimer and then there can be no dispute, you took your steps and the PARENTS didn't monitor their children, if that is even your concern. If it is more of a personal view or desire then please at least let people know and give them a chance to remove a story that you and yours find offensive, most people on the site are actually rather cordial when it comes to such requests.

While I cannot say for sure if this letter will even reach those that may be willing to listen, of if it's more akin to a wide spectrum purge in preparation for something bigger, please understand that you are going to be looseing a LARGE number of your writers, and thus your income from a lack of readers if there is not some level of action taken to help with this situation.

For those that may agree with this, please feel free to sign on and send this to the support server, maybe we can get some movement on this.

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Agato the Venom Host

Jay Frost

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The Dark Graven

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swords of twilight

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MysticTraveller


	16. Chapter 16

**Hey guys and girls, I'm back with The Aftermath! I've decided to end this story in the next 3 chapter or so mainly because the story was getting a bit redundant and boring. That said, I hope you like this chapter….**

**Disclaimer: Not the owner of Naruto…**

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"How many did you count?" asked a grinning Naruto while walking through the forest. The reason why he's walking because he was already close to Konoha and he was in no hurry and because quite frankly he was exhausted. Using the Kyuubi's chakra always leaves his body quite exhausted especially if he uses it for a longer period of time.

"**601! A new record, I think. Gotta love their faces when they see me! Hahaha" laughed Kurama, pleased with himself. **

Naruto grinned even wider, also having the time of his life.

A couple of minutes later, they were walking through the enormous gate of Konoha and checking in with the village guards. With a friendly wave to Izumo, Kotetsu, Naruto continued his trek towards the Hokage Tower.

The people of the village noticed their Hero walking down the street and waved at him and gave him a cheerful smile, a smile which he returned with equal measure. Soon he was in front of the Tower and with one leap he was already in Tsunade's office, entering through her window much to her irritation. She didn't get to voice her opinion because the other occupant in the room tackled Naruto to the ground as soon as he entered. One guess who that was!

While the two lovebirds were making out on her floor, Tsunade was currently deep in thought with a loving smile on her face.

She skimmed through her memories of Naruto. The young and brash Naruto who convinced her to return to Konoha with nothing but his determination and unyielding will. Then the Naruto who was chiseled to be a man by her teammate and best friend. Then the vulnerable Naruto who just learned that his Godfather, mentor, family just died. That was one of the worst days for her. Seeing him so defeated and broken but there wasn't much she could do that day. Every ninja had to go through such a period. God knows she has done it many times in her life. Too many times!

And then the Shinobi who won the War of the Nations and defeated the Tailed Beasts and Tobi himself. And finally the Naruto that is currently being smothered to death by his dazzling girlfriend, Ino Yamanaka. In all her life she has never seen Naruto so happy and it made her heart dance in joy that she was able to live long enough to see it.

She was brought out of her musing when she heard two sets of giggles and they were aimed at her. She looked up and saw two laughing blonde idiots, "What?" yelled Tsunade in irritation.

"You were smiling Baa-chan!" grinned Naruto, Ino joining him.

A tick appeared on Baa-chan's forehead, "Shut up and sit down!" growled Tsunade.

The blondes' laughter continued and Tsunade scowled because of it.

A couple of moments later, Naruto and Ino composed themselves and Naruto made his report.

…"That's it!" grinned Naruto in satisfaction. Tsunade wasn't so happy. She was banging her head against the table while the duo sweat dropped. Tsunade was crying anime tears, "Did you have to go and use the Kyuubi's chakra? Do you know how many complaints I'll get because of this? I swear to God, I just got older by a few years!"

Naruto scratched the back of his head and grinned foxily, "Oh come on! It was all good fun. Nobody got hurt and the trees we destroyed were immediately fixed by Kyuubi's chakra which is full of life-force to begin with. No biggy Grandma!"

Ino giggled when Tsunade continued to bang against the table. Seeing that she won't stop anytime soon, the couple sneaked out of the room.

They were walking down the street, "So what was going around here while I was gone?" asked Naruto.

"Not much, me and the girls were hard at work, planning the wedding. It's going to be the best wedding ever. Only my wedding will be better, of course!" grinned Ino.

Naruto laughed, " I have no doubt about that! I pity the guy that will marry you though." Teased Naruto playfully.

Ino hit him playfully on the arm for that remark and stuck out her tongue. Naruto laughed and used one hand to hug her over the shoulder. The frown that was previously on Ino's face was now a light smile while she leaned against his shoulder.

They looked around the village while walking down the street. They observed the villagers and what they were doing and how they were doing. They saw that all were either smiling or laughing while doing their chores. They were at peace.

And that's where Ino's question comes in, "Naruto, do you think this peace will last?"

Naruto looked ahead, his face serious and so was his answer, "I can only hope so. This peace is different from the previous ones. There is an understanding among the Nations and its people and that was lacking before. I can assure you though; I will do everything in my power to preserve this peace, for you, for my friends and for the future generations."

Ino smiled and snuggled closer to him, "I know you will."

Naruto smiled, "So tell me about this wedding. What have you been up to?"

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""FAR AWAY"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

'Just a bit more' were the thoughts of a man trapped inside his prison.

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""THE DAY OF THE WEDDING_2 months later"""""""""""""""""

"Nervous?" asked Ino, who wore a dazzling purple dress.

Temari fixed some kinks in her dress, "Actually not really. I feel…right, happy. I know I want this. I want to spend the rest of my life with that loving lazy bastard." Said Temari smiling while standing in front of the mirror and observing her reflection. She looked stunning. The wedding dress looked absolutely stunning on her.

Ino looked towards the clock, "It is time Temari." Temari took a deep breath and turned around.

The maid of honor and the bride started walking towards the door. Ino opened the door. Temari walked into the hallway and came face to face with her friends who were all smiles and giggles.

"Are you ready, Miss Nara?" smiled TenTen.

Temari liked the sound of that. She adopted a dazzling grin on her face and started walking down the hall, her bridesmaids in tow. They reached the entrance where the wedding will take place and where the grooms were already waiting for their dates. Shika and Temari decided to have the wedding outdoors because they felt it would be better than be stuck inside a stuffy church.

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""INSIDE""""""""""""""""

The guests were murmuring among each other while Shikamaru looked very nervous up on the altar (don't know what that place is called). The wedding music started and the people took their seats. The door opened and in came the Akimichi duo, Ayame and Chouji.

Hand in hand they walked down the aisle towards Shikamaru. Next came the Hyuuga duo, TenTen and Neji. Then Hinata and Kiba. And then Lee with a friend of his. Then Sai with an unknown lady. Last but not least, the Uzumaki duo, Yamanaka Ino and Uzumaki Naruto.

Everyone took their places next to the altar and waited for the lady of the hour to arrive. Chouji and Naruto saw that Shikamaru looked a bit nervous and each placed a hand on his shoulder which helped him a bit. Shikamaru saw his parents smiling at him which only helped him further.

The music started and everyone's eyes were on the door. A second later in came Temari in gorgeous white wedding dress that left nothing to imagination. She was flanked by Gaara on one hand and Kankuro on the other. The last Subaku family enjoying a precious moment together.

Shikamaru looked at his wife-to-be and his nervousness disappeared. He saw why he proposed to her in the first place. She is the one for him. The one and only. The old ball and chain.

They reached the end of the aisle. Both brothers placed a kiss on Temari's cheek which made Temari even more happy. They both said, "Congratulations Sis!" with a loving smile on their faces. Even Gaara looked genuinely happy and it showed on his face. They took their places with Gaara and Kankuro acting as the grooms and Temari took her place by Shikamaru's side.

Temari looked at her hubby, "I'm surprised you aren't late." Shikamaru smiled and took her hand, "Not this time. Not for this." The duo turned towards Tsunade who would lead this wedding.

Tsunade cleared her throat and started the procession, "Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today….."

20 minutes later, "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride."

Shikamaru turned towards Temari and they slowly inched closer.

Naruto looked on at the scene and couldn't help but wonder when will it be his time. He looked at Ino and smiled. Hopefully not too long. Ino caught his look and smiled at him.

Naruto's smile faltered and sprung into action, "GAARA!" One of the few people who actually sensed the danger, Gaara, reacted immediately. He formed a massive wall of sand over the entire compound where the wedding was taking place. A moment later, the people inside could feel something hitting against the sand barrier. The ninjas mobilized, the wedding forgotten for the moment.

Gaara turned the wall of sand into hundreds of small spears made of sand and sent them against the opponent's attack, whatever that was. Naruto followed suit and jumped outside of the barrier and immediately formed a massive cyclone of air and sent it hurtling towards his opponent. But as he saw what he actually hit, made his breath hitch in his throat. He couldn't believe his eyes. It shouldn't be possible. What he saw, were trees, lots of them.

The wall of sand gone, the ninja sprung into action. Firstly, they secured the civilians and the higher ranking officials of Konoha. Secondly, they sent a message to the village, asking for reinforcements even though that may be not needed. They have two Kages here and Naruto. What kind of an idiot would attack them while they were here? They will soon change their minds!

The Rookies, Shikaku, Chouza, Inoichi, Kakashi, Anko, Gai, Tsunade along with her ANBU proceeded to join Naruto and Gaara. Kurenai and Asuma Jr. were evacuated along with the rest of the civilians.

They saw the trees and prayed to God that the attacker wasn't who they thought it was.

Naruto was in front of the small army. He eyed his surroundings and waited for the man to show himself. A moment later Naruto sensed him in the forest up front. Wind blades were sent hurtling towards the direction of the intruder. The trees were cut down by the blades and Naruto saw a figure jump out of the way of the attack and into the clearing in front of him.

The Shinobis gasped at who they saw. There he was, the founder of the Uchiha clan, still very much alive.

"**MADARA!" growled Kurama, anger boiling off him.**

Naruto's eyes narrowed and his eyes turned cold, "What do you want Madara?"

A loud chuckle could be heard from the man, "What, no hello Madara? Or, how come you are alive Madara? I'm insulted."

Naruto didn't react to his taunting and remained silent.

Madara smirked, "Fine, fine, I'll get serious. I came here for you, Uzumaki Naruto."

The Shinobis eyes widened at what they heard. They turned towards Naruto who didn't look surprised at all, at least he wasn't showing it.

"What do you want with Naruto, you sick bastard?" yelled Kiba protectively.

Madara ignored the man who he thought was nothing more than an insect in his eyes. When Kiba saw that the man was ignoring he started growling. He sooo wanted to kick that man's ass but he knew he would die before he even reached him.

Tsunade stepped forward, "Madara, what do you want with Naruto?"

Madara actually looked at the Princess, "When I escaped from that pitiful prison of Sand, I saw that the world was at peace. All because of one man, Uzumaki Naruto. It's only fitting I kill the symbol of peace first, don't you think? When the Kyuubi Jinchuriki falls so shall this world."

"You'll have to get through us first!" yelled Kiba, others nodding in agreement and falling in line with him.

Madara smirked and turned towards Naruto, "Kyuubi no Jinchuriki, you know what will happen if they fight. They may be delusional thinking they can stand on equal footing with me but I know you are not. You can all fight me together and you all die or we fight alone and the strongest man wins."

Tsunade growled, "You are forgetting about me, Madara. I would rather die than let Naruto fight you alone."

"I didn't forget about you, Senju. I promise you, you will die first. Last I remember, it took 5 Kages to restrain me and that happened because of the pitiful summoner who was defeated and the Edo Tensei broke. There are only two Kages here and a bunch of kids. What hope do you have of defeating me?"

Naruto knew he was right. His friends were strong, one of the strongest in the world. But even that strength was nothing compared to Madara's. He doubted even he himself comes close to his power. Madara and Hashirama were in a league of their own. He doubted even his father could defeat this man. He knew what needed to be done.

Naruto stepped forward, shocking his friends, " Lead the way Madara." Said Naruto calmly.

"What are you doing, Naruto?" yelled Kiba.

Naruto turned around and faced his friends, "I'm sorry guys but I can't let you fight him. This is my role in life. I was born for this very moment."

Ino stepped forward and walked towards him. "Ino…." She silenced him by placing her lips on his.

She pulled away a few seconds later and rested her head on his chest, "Come back to me, please." Said Ino weakly.

Naruto hugged her closer, "I promise."

Their friends watched on in silence and in resignation. As much as it pains them to say this but there was nothing they could do right now but believe in Naruto to come out victorious. If there is anyone who can win, it is him.

"Kyuubi!" yelled Madara, throwing a rod of sorts towards Naruto. Naruto spun around with Ino still in his embrace. He caught the metal rod and knew what needed to be done.

He cupped Ino's chin and gave her one final kiss before he stabbed himself with the rod. A moment later Ino could no longer feel Naruto's lips on hers. Both Madara and Naruto disappeared from the clearing in a puff of smoke.

Ino shed a few tears for her love of few months. Every fiber of her being was aching right now. If he died, she dies.

Tsunade immediately sprung into action, "Send word to every nation in the world. I don't care how small the nation is. Tell them, PEACE is threatened!" The ANBU complied.

Tsunade turned towards Shikaku, "Mobilize the ninjas. I want them ready in an hour. It is time to end this once and for all!"

Shikaku nodded and disappeared.

"So, this is it, huh? The fight of our generation." Said Shikamaru.

"No. This is the fight that will decide the fate of this world." Said Kakashi.

Ino looked towards the horizon, "He will win. I know he will!"

The group looked on and prayed she was right.

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""VALLEY OF THE END"""""""""""""""""""""""""""

The two fighters materialized in the valley. Madara dispelled the clone that brought them here through the Rinnegan Technique. Naruto stood on Hashirama's statue and Madara stood on his own. The valley had seen better days. The statues were chipped in numerous places. Craters filled the valley and the river seemed to have widened. All the result of Naruto and Sasuke's fight.

"I heard you fought one of my descendants here. Just like me and Hashirama long ago." Said Madara.

"Did you come here to talk or fight? I do not wish to discuss history with you. You threatened my friends, my family. You threaten the peace that we fought so hard to achieve. I'll do anything in my power and beyond to stop your terror from spreading through the world. Madara Uchiha, you will die today, once and for all!" said Naruto with the hope of the entire world resting on his shoulders and in his fists.

Madara smirked, "You are 100 years too young to threaten me, Kyuubi!"

"Allow me to rectify that!" said Naruto, springing into action. Madara followed. The fight of the world has begun!

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"WHAT? How did this happen? We took every precaution regarding that man. How the hell did he escape?" yelled an enraged Raikage.

Darui remained calm despite the situation, "We don't know. The outpost at his prison was destroyed before they could send a message to us. What shall we do, sir?"

A growled, "Mobilize the army. Send word to neighboring countries. We will need every single ninja to stop this man. GO DARUI!" Darui disappeared and Raikage slumped back into his chair. He spoke to seemingly no one, "Can he win Bee?"

"The mothafucka will pull through. I know it!" said Bee in his cheerful voice.

Raikage looked out the window of his office and hoped that his brother was right.

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"This is bad, real bad. Ao, notify the commanders. I want our army mobilized in the next hour. Notify our neighboring allies. We need every able-bodied ninja to respond to our calls. GO AO!" ordered Mei Terumi, the Mizukage.

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"Old man, what should we do?" asked Kurotsuchi. The old man in question was none other than Oonoki, the Tsuchikage, "What do you think, you idiot? Mobilize the army. Madara needs to be stopped. Go!"

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"Sir, we received a message from Konoha. Uchiha Madara escaped from his prison and is now fighting Uzumaki Naruto. They request aid." Said a messenger to one of the Elders while Baki and the Sand siblings are away.

The Elder's eyes widened, "Tell the commanders to mobilize the army. Tell Konoha we will respond with outmost haste. GO!"

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""THE VALLEY OF THE END"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

The fight started moments ago. The two legendary fighters were currently rushing towards each other at an amazing speed. Their fists met and a shockwave shook the valley. A flurry of kicks and punches were exchanged between the two. So far, they seemed to be even but this was just the warm-up, for them at least. Others would be hard pressed to dish out such punches at their full power.

They jumped back, away from each other. "Impressive. Such power in someone so young." Said Madara. "It seems old age didn't hinder your strength at all, old timer." Smirked Naruto.

Madara smirked, his Rinnegan eyes shining, "I'm actually looking forward to this. It's like fighting Hashirama all over again except this time the outcome will be different."

"We will see." Said Naruto. He channeled chakra into his feet and shot forward. Madara did the same.

Halfway there, Naruto created a clone. The clone started a string of handseals, **"Fūton: Kami Oroshi" yelled the clone. **A vortex of wind was sent hurtling towards Madara.

Madara didn't seem fazed by the attack. He jumped sideways and let the attack pass him. His eyes widened when he sensed the real Naruto, appear behind him with a swirling ball of chakra in his hands, **"Rasengan!" **The ball of chakra made contact with Madara but it didn't do any damage. The ball of chakra was absorbed into Madara. Madara lashed out with a kick to Naruto's ribs but Naruto blocked it with his elbows. The two disconnected and jumped away with Naruto landing on the river and Madara on the bank.

No words were spoken after that clash but Madara had a newfound respect for the young Jinchuriki in front of him.

Madara went through a string of handseals himself, "**Katon: Gōka Messhitsu!" **Naruto cursed, he was too close to form a defensive technique. He did the only thing he could right now. He dropped the flow of chakra into his feet and submerged into the water, allowing the technique to harmlessly pass over him and hit the cliff behind him.

Madara waited for him to resurface and he didn't have to wait long. Several clones of Naruto shot out of the water like rockets each preparing a technique of their own.

Two of the clones shouted, **"Fūton: Daitoppa!"** The other two formed the handseals for the, **"Katon:Goukakyuu no Jutsu!" **This happened in a span of a second. The massive vortex of fire and wind rocketed towards Madara who although impressed by the good use of the clones, had no trouble escaping the Jutsu. He jumped over it and immediately unleashed his own devastating technique, **"Katon: Gōka Mekkyaku!" **The massive wall of fire burned through the clones and incinerated everything in its path, including the water of the lake where Naruto was. A large explosion occurred but when the dust settled, Naruto wasn't anywhere to be seen.

Madara landed on the bank of the now refilled river and tried to sense the young blonde. A moment later he turned around with amazing speed and blocked Naruto's kunai with his own. They fought for dominance but they seemed to be equal. Naruto channeled wind chakra into his Kunai and Madara channeled fire chakra into his. Wind fought dominance over Fire but even in this department there was no victor. Naruto overloaded the kunai with chakra while Madara did the same. A small explosion blasted away the two fighters. The two fighter gracefully landed on their fight and pushed off the ground with amazing force, creating miniature craters in their wake.

They met in the middle of the battlefield and continued their Taijutsu dance. This was a dance of masters. Neither was leaving any room for the other. No weaknesses, no flaws, just two masters dishing it out.

Madara lashed out with a punch to Naruto's face with Naruto mirroring the movement. They caught each other's attack and grinned at each other. Despite the situation, they felt amazing. Fighting is in their blood!

Naruto noticed that Madara shifted his eyes into his Eternal Mangekyou Sharingan form. He cursed. He felt Madara's chakra invading his body through the Eye Genjutsu. Madara remained stoic. He said internally, **"Tsukuyomi!"**

Naruto blinked and saw that the world changed. The sky was red and he could see the Sharingan Eye blazing in the sky. He saw Madara in front of him, staring at him with those cursed eyes. He looked behind Madara and smirked. Madara noticed the smirk and his eyes widened a moment later. It was too late however.

A large claw slammed against his illusionary body with all the hate he felt for the man.

"**You dare enter my realm, MADARA!" growled Kurama.**

Naruto grinned at his partner. A moment later he was out of the Genjutsu, courtesy of Kurama's overwhelming chakra. This encounter last only a few milliseconds. Outside he saw Madara's hand approaching his face. Using his amazing reflex and speed, Naruto leaned his head sideways while also lashing out with a kick of his own towards Madara's ribcage. Madara had no trouble evading that by jumping over his kick. He was already in motion, trying to roundhouse kick Naruto into oblivion.

Naruto saw the kick aimed for his face and raised his arm to block it. Pumping chakra into his hand, he prepped himself for the powerful kick. A moment later the kick connected and Naruto was sent skidding backwards a few meters. He's got to give it to the man, that really hurt.

Naruto regained his footing and eyed his opponent who had his Sharingan active, "Kyuubi says hi." Smirked Naruto.

Madara didn't show any discomfort, "Never thought I would see the day Kyuubi willingly fighting alongside a human. You are amusing, young one."

"Oh, I'm a 'young one' now. I thought I was still the Kyuubi no Jinchuriki. I guess our relationship just got deeper, huh." Grinned Naruto.

Madara smirked, "A worthy opponent indeed. Hashirama would have been proud of his descendants."

"Why, thank you." Smiled Naruto tauntingly but turned serious afterwards. He had a feeling Madara will take it up a notch. And he was right.

Madara disappeared in a burst of speed and appeared in front of Naruto but Naruto was ready for him. Metal met metal as they clashed with their kunais. Sparks flew across the battlefield as the two fighters raced across the battlefield. They were blurs to any spectators. Some ninjas could train their whole lives and they still wouldn't come close to their level.

Naruto was speeding across the lake, holding his kunai in a reverse grip. A second later he threw the kunai and started on some handseals, **"Kunai Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" **The lone kunai turned into fifty and they sped towards Madara. Madara used his kunai to block them all and then immediately rolled to the left when a blade made of wind passed by. And then another and another. Madara dodged them all with precision and retaliated by sending some small fire balls himself. Naruto had no difficulty dodging them but Madara expected that. They only served as a distraction while Madara performed a bigger technique, "**Katon: Ryūen Hōka no Jutsu!" **Huge dragon head-shaped fireballs flew towards Naruto who was already in motion, preparing his own technique, **"Suiton: Suijinheki!" **Adding more chakra into the technique, just to be sure, Naruto protected himself with a massive wall made of water. Madara's attack hit Naruto's wall and the fire was extinguished beforeit could do any real damage. Meanwhile Naruto was already finishing with the last handseals, **"Suiton Suiryuudan no Jutsu!" **The previously wall of water turned into a dragon which sped towards its prey. Madara didn't move, he just extended his hand and as soon as the attack hit him, he started absorbing the chakra from the technique. His Sharingan changed into the Rinnegan for the time being. Almost done absorbing, his eyes widened when Naruto surfaced from inside the Water Dragon. Not expecting such an unorthodox maneuver, Naruto finally managed to land a solid strike on his opponent. His chakra imbued fist made contact with Madara's face and sent him flying into the forest. Madara managed to regain his feet before he could crash into the trees. He landed on the edge of the lake and gazed towards his opponent. 'What an unpredictable opponent.' Thought Madara.

"Impressive, I've never faced such an unorthodox opponent." Said Madara calmly.

Naruto rubbed his nose, "Why thank you. You ain't so bad yourself."

"But you are going to have to do much better than that to bring me down. This body is immortal, I feel no pain, my chakra is limitless but you are only a mortal and your chakra will eventually run out."

Naruto chuckled, "You don't have to worry about me dying. I'm planning on living for quite some time. As for my chakra, you will find out that my chakra supply is quite big, probably much bigger than yours. You can thank Kyuubi for that."

"You speak very fondly of Kyuubi. I would have thought that a Jinchuriki such as yourself would hate the thing that made his life miserable." Said Madara, genuinely interested in the young man in front of him.

"That is the difference between you and me. While you see Kyuubi as a tool and a mindless beast, I see Kyuubi as a friend and a partner. My life may have been miserable at the beginning but I do not blame Kyuubi for it." Answered Naruto.

"Friend? What a foolish notion of a foolish man. You spout the same nonsense Hashirama once did. It sickens me to see such a resemblance of that man in you. He was my rival and the man I absolutely loathed. He was also the only man to have gained my respect. " retorted Madara, his voice venomous.

"Sounds like a great man. I would have loved to meet him." Said Naruto with a smile on his face, seemingly ignoring Madara's declaration of hatred towards Senju Hashirama.

"Laugh child but you will soon find out the error of your and Hashirama's ways. Power is the machine that drives this world, this universe. And I am the embodiment of Power." Said Madara, full of confidence in his belief and in his power, rightly so.

"Whatever rocks your world, old man." Said Naruto, smiling all the way.

"Allow me to show you!" said Madara, changing back into his Eternal Mangekyou Sharigan. Naruto jumped back, to gain more distance for whatever the man was planning. Naruto waited on the shore of the lake for Madara to make his move.

Madara closed his left eye and focused his chakra into his right one, **"Amaterasu."**

Naruto cursed and sprung into motion. He started running across the bank of the lake, the black flames of Amaterasu trailing behind him, desperately trying to catch him. He turned left and started running across the lake once more. He looked backwards and saw that the flames were starting to gain on him. He used one of his faithful maneuvers and submerged under water.

The flames changed direction and followed him as Naruto expected but they were no longer following him since Madara has no clear visual on him which Naruto used to his advantage.

Creating a clone to distract Naruto, Naruto waited for Madara to take the bait.

The clone of Naruto resurfaced and Madara was immediately on him.

The flames of Amaterasu surrounded him and a moment later started burning him alive. The clone screamed for a second then disappeared in a puff of smoke.

Madara's eyes went to the original who was standing on the other side of the lake. Naruto was crouched over a gigantic sealing scroll which he procured from a storage seal on his arm.

Naruto smirked and then said, "**Fūka Hōin!" **Wisps of chakra emerged from the gigantic 20 feet long scroll and surrounded the black flames of Amaterasu. A moment later the flames were dragged back into the scroll and sealed away. Naruto rolled up the scroll and sealed it back inside his storage seal.

"As you said, I fought your descendant. I know every Sharingan trick you have, its advantages and its weaknesses." Said Naruto, doing a little victory dance inside his head.

Madara reopened his left eye, "That little Uchiha fledging was not a true Uchiha. By the time this battle is over you will learn the true power of the Uchiha clan."

"Bring it!" said Naruto, dropping into his taijutsu stance.

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"Ninjas of Konoha, one of our own is in danger. Right now, Uzumaki Naruto is fighting for our freedom, for our happiness, for our peace. I won't lie to you. Many of you probably won't come back so this is your last chance to change your minds. Who will come with me to fight alongside Uzumaki Naruto?" yelled Tsunade to the assembled army of Konoha.

The ninjas all let out a loud yell as a signal that they are hers to command till their last breath.

Tsunade turned towards Kakashi, "Did your dogs find anything?" "Yes, Tsunade-sama. They picked up Naruto's scent near the Valley of the End." Answered Kakashi.

"That cheeky bastard. Of course he would have his battle there. That's where he fought my Grandpa. Kakashi, sent word to the Nations. Tell them to meet up with us in the valley." Said Tsunade. She turned back towards the army, "MOVE OUT! To the Valley of the End!"

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**The end! Again, sorry for taking so long. Next one will be out by the end of the week.**

**Please review and tell me what you think!**

**See ya!**


	17. Chapter 17

**Hey guys, here is the next chapter of The Aftermath! I'm sorry for taking so long to publish this one but I've been extremely busy. Vacation, work, sickness, power outage… Yep, some busy weeks behind me. Hopefully I can publish the next chapter a bit sooner than this one.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything!**

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Something amazing was happening in Fire Country. Something you don't see every day. In fact, this could only be seen in a time of war. Hundreds upon hundreds of Shinobis were racing across the country towards their destination. It's been a long time since the entire village departed upon a single mission. This just shows how much is at stake here.

"Are we close, Kakashi?" asked Tsunade seriously.

Kakashi who was running beside her answered, "We will be there in two hours or so."

Tsunade gritted her teeth, "That's not good enough. By the time we get there, everything will be over." She pumped chakra into her vocal folds and addressed her ninjas while running, "Everyone, I know you are tired. We've been running for a while now but I need you to push yourself past your limits. At this rate, the battle for the world will be over by the time we arrive and I fear the outcome.

Gather your strength and let's push on!"

A loud chorus of 'HAI!' rang through the army and they picked up their pace.

They could only hope their savior holds on till they arrive.

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"Do you know what your defeat means?" said Uchiha Madara, facing his opponent on the other side of the lake.

Naruto frowned, "I know perfectly well what would happen if I fail. That is why I absolutely cannot and will not fail. The fate of the world is resting on my shoulders and I don't intend to lay down and give up!"

"Admirable. Spoken like a true hero. I look forward to crushing your soul." Said Madara calmly.

Naruto dropped into his taijutsu stance and waited for the Uchiha legend to make his move. He didn't have to wait long.

Madara dashed forward, across the lake, water parting because of his insane speed. Naruto noticed that his speed increased by a lot. He was having a few difficulties keeping up with his movement. He didn't have time to ponder any more because Madara was already on him, with a fist ready to smash his skull.

Naruto ducked under the blow and tried to uppercut Madara into oblivion but he caught his punch with ease. Using his arm as a spring board Madara jumped over Naruto and lashed out with a kick to Naruto's spine.

Naruto dropped to the floor at the last second, allowing the kick to miss him. A moment later he rolled to the left. A good thing he did because the spot where he was before was obliterated by Madara's kick.

Naruto sprung back on his feet and immediately blocked another punch from Madara. This wasn't looking well for him right now. It seems Madara got serious. The speed and the sheer ferociousness behind Madara's attacks were unbelievable. He never faced such an opponent before. It was like fighting a machine that never gave up, that had no flaws, that made no mistakes. He was perfect. As expected from a legend such as him.

They continued their taijutsu dance for a few minutes, with Naruto on the defensive. Madara got in a few hits but nothing major or fatal. Naruto was holding out so far but he knew it was time for him to get serious as well.

He saw Madara's fist fast approaching his face. This time he didn't dodge or block. He let the punch hit him. He was sent flying into the forest where he toppled down a couple of trees. But his plan worked. At least he hoped so.

Madara frowned internally. That punch shouldn't have connected. Something was wrong.

Meanwhile Naruto took advantage of his immobility and started gathering chakra for his trump card.

Madara sensed that something was wrong. He felt a disturbance in the air, in the nature itself. He never felt anything similar which was saying something. The weird thing was, the origin was coming from his opponent in the forest.

He growled and immediately formed the handsigns needed for a powerful Katon Jutsu. A long blast of fire was blown towards Naruto's location. The blast incinerated the forest and seemingly did its job but Madara could sense that something was wrong.

There was patch of forest which the fire didn't destroy, the place where Naruto was currently standing with a protective bubble made of wind chakra surrounding him.

But this was no longer the same Naruto and Madara could feel the change in him. Naruto stood there defiantly, his eyes now colored indicating his ascension to Sage Mode. The real fight is about to start.

"So this is your trump card? Impressive." said Madara in his ever calm voice. He could feel the power oozing off of him.

Naruto remained silent and Madara smirked at him, "Well then, show me what you got." Madara made a motioning movement with his hand, daring Naruto to attack him. And Naruto did.

In a burst of speed Naruto was in front Madara who didn't seem fazed by the increase of speed.

Naruto's destructive punch was blocked by Madara's hand. Madara tried to retaliate but Naruto was faster. Naruto tried to kick Madara in the knees but Madara jumped over it and lashed out with a roundhouse kick himself which Naruto ducked under and followed up with uppercut to his chin but Madara evaded, although barely.

Madara's eyes widened a moment later when he felt an invisible force strike him in the face and he was sent flying upwards. Madara grunted but managed to regain his balance. He glared at his opponent mid-air while the Edo Tensei repaired his face.

Madara pushed off from his position in the air with amazing force and sped towards Naruto who dropped into his Frog Stance.

Madara attacked with a punch but Naruto blocked it with his forearm. A resounding blast erupted and the earth cracked from the force. The fighters didn't let that bother them. They exchanged some hits with Madara being careful to avoid whatever it was that struck him before.

Naruto attempted another punch to Madara's face but he saw it coming and grabbed Naruto's hand before it could do any serious damage. A mistake on Naruto's part, a mistake that will cost him dearly.

The Uchiha smirked at his young opponent and moved his hand to Naruto's abdominal area. His eyes shifted into the legendary Rinnegan and Naruto's eyes widened but it was too late.

Madara whispered, "**SHINRA TENSEI!"** A blast with tremendous power behind it blew away Naruto into the surrounding forest. The technique that destroyed an entire village destroyed a large chunk of the land and the forest. While definitely not at its full power, it is still impressive nonetheless.

Madara's eyes widened a bit and he quickly spun around and absorbed a gigantic Rasengan courtesy from Naruto who somehow escaped Madara's devastating Jutsu.

The Rasengan proved to be useless against the Rinnegan user but the momentary lax of concentration came back to bite the Uchiha in the ass. A pair of hands grabbed Madara's ankles who was still absorbing the last of the chakra from the Rasengan. A moment later he was pulled under and was stuck in the ground. Naruto was already on him, taking advantage of the situation.

"**Oodama Rasengan!" **yelled Naruto, descending rapidly towards Madara.

A moment later the attack connected but there was no explosion or anything similar. Instead the attack halted its movement. An ethereal figure was the reason for that. Madara's eyes turned into the Sharingan and Susanoo protected its master.

Naruto jumped back when the spirit tried to cleave him in half with his sword.

Madara jumped out of the hole in the ground and eyed Naruto, the spirit of Susanoo making the stare that more threateningly.

"Now what, young Uzumaki? What will you do now?" taunted Madara.

Naruto smirked, "Every technique has a weakness, even Susanoo. I found Sasuke's and now I will find yours."

Madara in response upgraded his Susanoo to that of two-headed one, covering more angles that way. Naruto frowned internally. Madara's Susanoo is very different from Sasuke's and from the looks of it much more powerful. It was time for some testing.

Increasing the chakra outage to his legs, he shot forward with amazing speed and a second later appeared in front of Susanoo with a fist poised for strike. The fist collided with the Susanoo's torso. Both Susanoo and Madara were sent skidding backwards a few feet, such was the power behind Naruto's strike. Madara grunted and Susanoo responded by swinging its swords towards Naruto who dodged it. A good thing too. The earth cracked under the force of the swing.

Naruto rolled to the left, dodging another strike and then another. Having enough, Naruto summoned a clone to his side and propelled him towards his opponent, momentarily distracting him.

The clone was killed mid-air with a swing from Susanoo but it gave Naruto enough time for his next attack.

"**Senpō: Yomi Numa!" **A massive swamp appeared under Madara's feet, trapping him inside. But not for long. Susanoo stuck both of its swords in the ground and used it as leverage to propel itself upward in the air. A big mistake on his part.

Madara swiftly turned around when he heard a whizzing sound. A large shuriken made of wind chakra was but a few inches away when he turned around. A moment later the RasenShuriken collided with Madara and its protector, Susanoo.

A massive explosion occurred and Naruto had to shield his eyes from any debris sent his way. It took a while for the explosion to die down so that Naruto could see the result of his combo.

Amidst the massive crater stood a figure, his body smoldering and regenerating at the same time. A partially destroyed Susanoo was still surrounding Madara. Almost all of its left side was missing from Naruto's attack.

Naruto stood his ground and eyed his opponent. Madara recovered in no time at all, thanks to the Edo Tensei, "Impressive. To think that there exists a technique that can damage my Susanoo to such a degree with a single hit. This Jutsu of yours was a lot stronger than the last time we faced each other in the war. Your chakra felt more potent, denser. You've been training a lot haven't you?" smirked Madara, brushing off the technique like it was nothing.

Naruto returned the smirk, "This was just the tip of the iceberg, old man."

"Well then, allow me to show you a technique of my own." His hands went through handsigns at speeds not even Naruto could follow. A bad feeling arose in Naruto's stomach and it soon became clear as to why.

A gigantic shadow descended upon the battlefield and Naruto looked up in astonishment and fear at seeing this technique again. No matter how many times he sees this particular Jutsu he still can't wrap his head around the fact that Madara somehow manipulates comets from outer space.

The massive ball of rock travelled at amazing speed towards the earth.

Naruto cursed in his mind. This will take a lot of chakra out of him to do, probably most of his Senjutsu chakra but he has no choice.

Creating two clones, he started gathering chakra into the palm of his hands, his clones mirroring his move. Madara saw that he was once again creating that damnable technique again so he upped the stakes. Going through another set of handseals, another comet descended upon Naruto and the earth.

Naruto had no time to ponder Madara's move, he was too busy with his own technique. A moment later a RasenShuriken was formed in his hands but Naruto had a feeling that it won't be enough. With a silent command, the clones and he himself started upping the chakra outage to the technique. The original took care of the core of the Jutsu while the clones took care of the wind chakra and the balance of the technique.

The Shuriken started growing in size. With each passing moment the technique grew larger and larger until it was easily 3 times the size of the original.

Naruto gritted his teeth from exertion and then raised his technique over his head. Sweat poured down his face. Just a normal RasenShuriken needed a huge amount of control and concentration. Multiply that by 3 times and you get a technique one in a billion can pull off.

With no time to spare, Naruto threw the oversized RasenShuriken towards the two comets, hoping it will be enough.

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""MOMENTS EARLIER"""""""""""""""""""""""""""

Konoha Ninjas were jumping over treetops at top speed with its leader in front of the group. Tsunade was gritting her teeth in nervousness. They were close she could feel it. She could feel their chakra, she could feel that evil chakra crawling on her skin. She faced him once and she knew what the man was capable of and that worried her. Naruto was out there fighting Madara alone when 5 Kages together couldn't beat him.

She was woken up from her pondering by a massive shadow over their heads. She stopped in her tracks, her army doing the same thing. All eyes were glued to the sky. Knees started to shake, sweat formed on Ninja's heads because of what they saw.

Tsunade' s eyes widened at the sight of the technique. She was absent when the Comet stroke the first time in the war but she saw the devastation it brought upon the earth. Her heart raced for her adoptive grandson. She hoped he would somehow defy the odds once more and came out victorious.

Ino's lips trembled at the sight of the meteor from outer space. Her eyes became teary, in fear of losing the man she loved. Her heart broke when she saw the second meteor descend from space.

Her mind was telling her it was hopeless but her heart was telling her he will survive. He promised he would come back… to her. And he never breaks his promises.

A flash of light interrupted her thoughts. She spotted a massive ball of light speeding towards the two meteors and her heart leaped in joy. Naruto isn't giving up and she won't as well. She is his girlfriend after all.

The two techniques collided and the ninjas were momentarily blinded by the massive explosion. When they reopened their eyes they saw nothing. Just crumbling rocks descending towards the ground. The Ninjas cheered for their savior, Naruto.

Tsunade regained her senses and ordered the Ninjas to press on. They were nearing the valley, she could see up ahead the trails of destruction the two combatants left behind them.

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Naruto sweated and panted. His Senjutsu chakra was gone. That last Jutsu really took a toll on him but he still had a lot to give. He could feel his stamina and chakra recovering. Soon, he will be ready for another round.

Madara stared blankly at his opponent with a mixture of anger and respect. The ethereal figure of Susanoo slowly disappeared and his eyes morphed into the Rinnegan.

"Why am I not surprised that you stopped my technique?" stated Madara calmly with a tinge of amusement in his voice.

Naruto managed to let out a chuckle through his panting; his body still not recovered from the strain of the previous technique, "Beats the hell out of me."

Previous amusement gone, Madara turned serious, "Let's see for how long your luck holds out."

He extended both of his arms in front of him and Naruto's eyes widened, "**SHINRA TENSEI!"** Pumping a huge amount of chakra into the crazy Jutsu, the shockwave proceeded to destroy the valley and flatten the forests and the ground. Naruto pumped as much chakra as he could into his feet, hoping to hold on. Substitution was out of the question at the moment, the range of the technique was beyond the capabilities of the Kawarimi.

The shockwave reached him and despite his brave efforts, he was blown away with minimal to no resistance. He was sent flying alongside the huge chunks of earth and the trees. His screams were muffled by the sound of destruction all around him.

Madara observed his handiwork. There was no longer a valley in front of his eyes, only barren wasteland. The water that was previously contained and flowed in an orderly fashion now ran everywhere, in every hole it could find. This was the true power of the technique that once destroyed Konoha.

He switched his gaze when he heard a couple of rocks being moved. A second later the pile of rocks were blown away by a blast of chakra. Madara saw his opponent who once more survived his onslaught and he applauded him internally.

Naruto stood there, staring defiantly at Madara. There was a large and deep gash on his forehead and blood flowed down his face. His clothes were torn, some wounds on his body but otherwise he was fine. A second later his wounds started to heal at an amazing rate. Even the gash on his forehead was nothing but a mere scratch a second later. Perks to being a Jinchuriki of the Kyuubi and an Uzumaki.

He steadied his breathing and calmed his nerves and body. He reached out the nature around him and pulled in the chakra that was so warm and powerful. A couple of seconds later he was back in his Sage Mode. Madara made no move to stop his transformation either because he wanted him to transform or because he knew he was too far away to stop him. Either way, it didn't matter now.

Both fighters gazed at each other, both determined to win this battle but for different reasons. One fought for terror and destruction other for peace and love. Whose will is the strongest?

"You truly are his descendant. Surviving my Meteor technique and a fully powered Shinra Tensei, only Hashirama possessed that kind of strength." Stated Madara.

"Enough chit-chat. Attack me with everything you've got. Let us see who is the strongest!" challenged Naruto, going into his Frog Stance.

"As you wish." Said Madara calmly, already going through numerous handseals. He clapped his hands together and trees erupted from the earth, all heading towards Naruto, aiming to impale him.

Taking advantage of the higher senses granted by Sage Mode, Naruto skillfully avoided the Wood Technique but Madara didn't relent in his attack. Pumping more chakra, countless more trees surfaced at its master's command and joined the assault on Naruto.

Despite being in Sage Mode even Naruto knew the sheer number of trees and wood was too much for him so he decided to thin the numbers out and go on the offensive.

Destroying any trees that got too close for comfort with his wind Jutsus, he gradually got closer to Madara who remained unfazed by Naruto's counter-attack. He willed the trees to go faster, hoping to overwhelm Naruto but he stood strong against his opponent.

Madara thought that was enough foreplay with Hashirama's power, **"Mokuton Hijutsu: Jukai Kōtan!"**

As the name suggests, an entire forest erupted from the underground, each piece of wood sharp and strong enough to kill Naruto a thousand times over.

Madara commanded the forest to attack Naruto who remained calm despite the situation. The trees came rushing towards Naruto who waited at the last second to start dodging them. Weaving between the trees while simultaneously destroying them with his wind blades, he held his ground against the impressive technique. Madara seeing that this isn't going anywhere went through the same handseals again and attacked Naruto with renewed firepower. Naruto cursed Madara and the Edo Tensei and the fact that it gave him unlimited chakra. He weaved and dodged the trees but it proved to be futile a moment later.

A massive number of trees attacked him head-on and Naruto went through a string of handseals for a fire Jutsu to destroy them. But by doing that he left his back wide open. A chance Madara didn't miss.

Naruto's eyes widened when he felt a tree impale him through his torso. He looked towards Madara and saw him smirking at him. The tree rose to Madara's level so that they were eye level.

Naruto was trying to break free but his strength was fading.

"Do you see now, the hopelessness of your situation? You can never beat me." Stated Madara cockily.

His eyes widened when Naruto smirked at him and disappeared in a poof of smoke. A hand pierced Madara's chest and a voice spoke, "No, but do you?"

It was Naruto's turn to be surprised because the Madara he impaled turned into a wood clone and now their situations were reversed. Naruto coughed up blood. He looked down and saw Madara's fist through his chest.

He heard him speak, "My eyes see everything. You can't hide from me."

"Wrong again!" The clone in Madara's hand disappeared in another poof of smoke while the real Naruto was behind Madara with a Rasengan in his hand.

The Rasengan touched Madara's back and started drilling into it. Madara regained his composure and started absorbing the chakra but the damage was already done.

Naruto's eyes widened when Madara used another Jutsu provided by the Rinnegan. Mechanic contractions appeared out of Madara's shoulders in a shape of a rocket launcher. Naruto was blown back by the following blast, his skin smoldering.

He looked up and growled at Madara while Madara stood there unaffected.

"It seems I got careless. I can promise you, it won't happen again." Stated Madara darkly.

Naruto felt Madara's chakra spike but he had no time to react. Trees erupted under him and trapped him. Naruto struggled to get out of his bonds but the trees stood strong. Madara laughed at him, at his helpless position, "It seems this battle is over, Uzumaki. I will fill your heart with despair in your last moments. Stare your demise in the face."

Susanoo once again appeared around Madara and they performed handseals in conjuction, allowing one of Madara's greatest Jutsus to once again show its face.

Naruto's eyes widened in fear and shock. A gigantic meteorite was once again descending upon him and he can't even move a muscle. He heard Madara speak, "I loathe using the same technique over and over again but I think this Jutsu is fitting to kill you and what you represent. I will obliterate every last piece of you and the earth you are standing on. Nothing will remain for people to remember you by, not even a memory."

Naruto growled and struggled to break free of the damnable wood restraints while the meteorite was plunging towards him, aiming to end him and the world.

'No, it can't end like this….' Thought Naruto, looking at the object of his demise. ' I can't lose here…not now…I promised…' thought Naruto.

Yellow chakra started sprouting out of him and the bonds that held him in place started to crack. Madara's eyes narrowed and he formed another handsign and more trees erupted from the earth and held on to Naruto who struggled with all his might to break free.

The meteorite was coming nearer and nearer while Naruto was trying to break free.

More chakra oozed off of him, trying to overwhelm his opponent's technique but Madara's dark laughter reached his ears, "It's too late Uzumaki. Look, it's here!"

Naruto looked up and his eyes widened. He was too late. The Meteorite was only seconds away from hitting the earth.

He closed his eyes and tears flowed down his eyes. The only thought that ran through his head was disappointment. He let everyone down. He promised he would win but he failed once more…

"Disappear." He heard Madara speak.

BANG!

Both fighters eyes turned upwards where the sound was heard. Naruto's eyes lit up with joy when he saw what happened while Madara was annoyed.

A massive amount of sand was currently trying to stop the massive ball of rock.

"Gaara!" yelled Naruto in joy. His friend was here… That means…

He saw two figures approaching the meteorite from the left and the right.

His hear leaped with joy when he saw who it was…

"Eat this!" said both Tsunade and A who was clad in his lightning armor. They punched the meteorite from both sides with all their might.

The meteorite started cracking but it still wasn't enough.

Another figure, this time Tsuchikage, came dropping from above and hit the meteorite with a rock-covered fist. Again, the meteorite cracked significantly but its destructive power was still intact. That is until a large dragon made of lava came rocketing towards the meteorite from below, the sand moving away so that it could hit the meteorite without any interruptions.

The dragon plowed through the meteorite and destroyed every single pebble in it. Danger averted, for now.

Naruto looked around him and saw that they were surrounded by ninjas from every country. He rejoiced when he saw his fellow comrades and friends from Konoha.

"Pitiful, more insects for slaughter…" said Madara, not concerned about the new arrivals.

Naruto turned his attention back towards Madara. He used Kurama's chakra to break free from his wooden bonds once and for all, "The fight is not yet over Madara!"

"Indeed it isn't." said Madara, going through numerous handsigns at blinding speed. Finishing at the ram seal, he slammed his hand on the ground and sealing characters spread to every direction.

After a few seconds of travelling, the characters glowed blue and a sphere of sorts appeared. The sphere expanded until it reached the ninjas and still it continued to grow, forcing the ninjas to back away. For all they knew, this sphere could kill them in an instant. This was Madara after all.

Naruto knew what Madara just did. The barrier will keep everyone out of their fight. He felt relieved, now he won't have to worry about protecting everyone while fighting Madara.

"That's much better. Now we won't have to worry about any interruptions." Said Madara.

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"Kakashi, what is this?" asked Tsunade while reaching out to touch it. She quickly retracted her hand when it was almost electrocuted by a million volts. She turned towards Kakashi for an explanation, "I'm not an expert at this but this is probably one of the best barriers around. I'm pretty sure only an Uzumaki could break it and the only one we know is inside of it."

Tsunade gritted her teeth, "Relay the information to every other Kage."

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"Gaara, there is a message from Hokage-sama." Said Temari to her brother who was watching Naruto's fight with Madara and she could see worry etched on his face.

She continued, "It seems Madara sprouted a barrier that seems impossible to break. What should we do?"

Gaara's face remained the ever stoic one. He looked on towards the battlefield and slowly raised his hand. He concentrated his chakra to the ground inside the barrier. If they can't disable the barrier then they will just have to get around it.

If only it were that simple. Gaara's eyes widened. He couldn't make a link with the sand in the ground. His chakra is unresponsive once it enters the barrier. He clenched his fist and lowered it.

It seems Madara covered all of his bases.

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"Dammit!" yelled A. He turned towards his brother, "Bee, blow this barrier to kingdom come!"

"O-K mothafucka!" responded Bee, already contacting his tenant and making a mental link.

A second later they started building up their chakra for their transformation. The army cleared the way for their strongest weapon and possibly the only man who could destroy this barrier.

Moments later, a huge ox appeared in its full glory. The Hachibi opened his mouth and started concentrating obscene amounts of chakra, "**BIJUUDAMA!"**

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"I stole this technique from your ancestors, the Uzumakis. Their skill in Fuuinjutsu was extraordinary, unmatched in the ninja world." Explained Madara. Further explanation was postponed because the ground started shaking and a huge explosion erupted from outside the barrier.

Naruto looked around frantically, wondering what's going on. He spotted Bee in his Bijuu Mode, "As you can see, not even a Bijuu can penetrate its defenses. The Barrier feeds on my chakra and its power depends on each individual user's chakra. My chakra was always one of the strongest so this makes one of the strongest Barriers around."

"You don't have to explain to me the technique. I came across it in my studies on Fuuinjutsu. I know what it does. And I also know how to disable it." Said Naruto seriously.

"I expected as much but you need time to disable it. Time which you don't have." Responded Madara.

"I wasn't planning on disabling it. I would much rather finish this fight by myself to avoid unnecessary casualties."

"You've proven to be quite a challenge. You had an answer for each of my techniques. You should be proud of yourself. Not many people have lasted long enough to witness my ultimate technique." Said Madara.

Naruto remained on guard. He could feel the buildup of chakra inside Madara and he didn't like it one bit.

Susanoo once again appeared around Madara's figure but this time it continued to grow. Madara's Susanoo's final form is an enormous construct with its mouth obscured and a body similar to its full body form. The outer armour, which only remotely resembles the usual tengu with armour, and the trademark pillbox hat-like adornment on the forehead is split down the middle from the beak downwards where the normal Susanoo underneath is revealed. Along this armour, which seems much more fluid than the other known Susanoo's, are holes at the end. In its stabilised form, the Susanoo dons an outer armour and a samurai outfit. It also has four arms, two plated ones which hold a pair of katana in sheaths, the other pair of which wields them.

Naruto stood there wide-eyed the whole time. He heard about this form of Susanoo from Grandma but hearing about it and seeing it in person are two different things. He can honestly say, he's fucked!

Madara spoke to him, "Witness my full power, Uzumaki Naruto!"

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"Impossible! What is that thing?" said Kiba, voicing everryone's thoughts.

Tsunade shed some light, "That is Madara's Susanoo final form. It can destroy a mountain with a single swing of it sword and apparently it can go toe-to-toe with a Bijuu." She clenched her fist. She knew damn well how powerful that thing was. After all, she faced it once.

Ino looked on worried for her boyfriend but remembered that Naruto still has a few tricks up his sleeve. She smiled reassuringly. This fight is far from over.

Tsunade turned around to face her army, "Everyone, fall back. We will try and destroy the barrier with long range attacks."

On cue, all of the armies retreated to a safe distance where they will bombard the barrier with long range attacks. They were hoping that the barrier will wear itself out and they will be able to give Naruto some much needed reinforcements.

The army of Konoha started retreating, all except one person. Tsunade turned to Ino, "We need to retreat Ino."

"I'm staying. I need to be here for him." Said Ino with conviction.

Despite the situation, Tsunade smiled at the show of affection and loyalty, "Don't worry, he'll pull through. He always does. Come on, we need every able hand if we want to destroy this barrier."

Ino seemingly ignored Tsunade's speech. She cast one last look towards Naruto and then nodded to Tsunade and joined the rest of the army.

Tsunade turned towards Naruto, 'Hold on gaki. Just a bit longer.'

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**Finito! I hope you enjoyed it. The next chapter will be the last one. Review please!**


	18. Sayonara!

**rThe last chapter of The Aftermath! I want to thank you all for reading this story and keeping it alive. It was my first ever story I've done on this site and despite everything I'm proud of how it came out in the end. I hope you enjoy this last chapter! Thanks for everything!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto.**

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"What now Uzumaki?" spoke Madara atop his protector, Susanoo. He gazed down towards the speck on the ground, the insect that stands between him and world domination.

Naruto recovered from the momentary shock of seeing a huge ass monster staring down at him. It's not the first time that happened and probably not the last time considering his luck with things. Heck, he likes a challenge. A challenge that can squash you with one strike but a challenge nonetheless.

Naruto smirked, "You aren't the only one with tricks up his sleeve, Madara." As soon as he said that a yellow aura sprung around him. The chakra flickered like flames around him and his eyes glowed orange. He gained strange markings similar to that of the Rikudo Sennin. His eyes narrowed towards Madara and his samurai protector, "Time for some tests." He disappeared in a cloud of dust, showing off his godly speed.

Madara's eyes narrowed. This kid was faster than the Raikage. He didn't even see him move let alone track his movements. But speed is not enough to defeat him otherwise Raikage would have been able to defeat him.

Susanoo felt something hit it in the back of its armour but nothing else happened. Then another hit in the legs, shoulders, knees… The Susanoo barely felt anything and Madara didn't deem it important enough to react. Even if he did he would have probably missed. For now, he will wait it out and strike at the right opportunity.

He heard a familiar buzzing sound and he turned around and saw that shuriken technique speeding towards him. 'I think it's time to show how futile his techniques are.'

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"Yeah, beat him up Naruto." Yelled Kiba, cheering for his comrade. They thought everything was over when that thing surfaced but Naruto proved them wrong once more. They saw him flickering around the Susanoo striking it everywhere. It gave the armies renewed hope. The Kages were a little bit more realistic than the rest of them. They knew that Madara was far from finished.

Ino was holding her breath but silently rooting for her love. Her heart was pounding like a madman and it didn't show any signs of slowing down.

"So this is what all the fuss is about, huh!" spoke a new voice beside Ino who was startled out of her praying and worrying. She saw a bluish man with sharp teeth grinning at Ino which frankly disturbed her, "Who are you?"

Suigetsu feigned hurt, "Oh, you don't know silly handsome me. Allow me to introduce myself gorgeous, I'm…." He was stopped by a fist to his head which blew away his head in droplets of water. Karin stood beside him with an annoyed look, "Sorry about that, his hormones acted out again." Apologized Karin to Ino who was baffled by all of this.

"Uh, it's okay but who are you again?" asked Ino but she felt like she was supposed to know this person.

Karin smiled brightly, "I'm Uzumaki Karin and these are my teammates Suigetsu and Juugo." She pointed to the now regenerating Suigetsu and the calm-looking Juugo. The ninjas around them tensed when they heard those names but seeing Ino remain calm and actually knowing them, made them switch their attention back towards the fight.

A light bulb switched on inside Ino's head, "You are Naruto's cousin, right?" smiled Ino.

Karin grinned, imitating his cousin's infectious smile, "The one and only. And you must be the one that kept his cute Uzumaki ass in check." Ignoring the remark about his ass Ino beamed, " Yep, that's me. How did you know?" inquired Ino.

"Your eyes tell the whole story. That and he told me." Grinned Karin.

"You are the idiot's girlfriend?" asked the now fully regenerated Suigetsu. Ino nodded dumbly not understanding what the big deal was.

"Oh man, could you please not tell him I hit on you? I would rather keep on living, thank you very much." Said Suigetsu, getting flashbacks to how the man decimated Juugo and then turn into the Kyuubi. Nope, that man's girlfriend is off limits!

Ino sweat-dropped, "If you say so." If that was his idea of hitting on someone then he will be lonely for a long time.

She turned her attention back towards the fight, "How's he holding up?" asked Karin who noticed the concerned look on Ino's face as soon as she turned her attention back towards the fight.

Ino sighed, "So far so good. He's holding his own so far. But I'm worried for how long. Madara is immortal, has limitless chakra, feels no pain and is a god without the Edo Tensei."

"With my limited reaction with Naruto I found out several things. First, he's a chakra monster even without the Kyuubi. Second, pain means nothing to him. And Third, he's the kind of guy who only gets stronger when he is protecting something or someone. So relax and let the Uzumakis show you how it's done." Grinned Karin, flaunting her last name as much as she could.

Ino couldn't help but let out a small laugh at that summary of Naruto, "I guess you are right."

"Of course I am." A silence occurred afterwards until a question popped out of Karin's mouth, "So, is he a monster in the sack?"

Ino stumbled forward at the bluntness of the question and couldn't help but see the resemblance between Anko and Karin.

Ino blushed and turned away from her, "You are crazy if you think I'll answer that question."

Karin grinned, "You don't have to. You already did. You better mark him as yours soon or someone else will."

Ino grumbled while blushing heavily. Why was she having talks about her sex life in the middle of a world-changing battle that her boyfriend was fighting?! It seems all Uzumaki are crazy but good crazy.

The hormonal duo were interrupted when Kiba yelled, "Look it's the RasenShuriken. Madara is going to get it now." Screamed Kiba.

Ino and Karin looked on and saw the powerful Jutsu hit Susanoo dead on. The dust from the explosion cleared a moment later and their eyes widened.

"No way…." Was Ino's reponse to what she was seeing.

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Naruto landed on the ground and waited till the dust settled. When it did he growled silently. It seems that level won't work on him anymore.

Madara and Susanoo stood there unscathed from the devastating attack. While the attack would obliterate any lesser men, the attack was futile against him.

"Do you see now the futility of your efforts?" To make his point clear, Susanoo attacked Naruto with his sword.

Naruto quickly got out of the way of the deadly sword which obliterated the ground upon which he was standing. Naruto regained his footing and looked at the damage. He saw that the attack created a new valley that had no bottom, just endless darkness.

He looked back towards Madara and prepared himself for what came next.

"You know what they say, the bigger they are the harder they fall. Time to test that theory."

He closed his eyes momentarily, "Ready?" asked Naruto his trusty partner.

Kurama growled, "**This should have happened a long time ago. Let's do this!"**

Naruto opened his eyes and his already impressive chakra levels soared to new heights. The shroud itself parted in the middle and opened into a full-length coat, revealing a black undergarment with a magatama on his neck. His pupils became slitted and the whisker marks deepened. The colour of the chakra changed from yellow to orange, indicating that both Kurama's and Naruto's chakras have mixed together. Meanwhile Madara stood transfixed. This is what he was waiting for. The true extent of his power.

Naruto didn't stop there, that was just a stepping stone. In a burst of chakra, the shroud started expanding until it soared over the trees and beyond. The shroud took shape of a fox with nine tails and it matched Susanoo's height.

Naruto stood on top the head, his arms crossed but still ready to react at a moment's notice. He could hear the roar of the armies around him, cheering him on. It seems they have regained their morale after witnessing his transformation.

"So this is the Kyuubi transformation. Mito never achieved this state." Spoke Madara.

Naruto nodded, "Probably because Kyuubi doesn't like humans that much and giving up his power isn't exactly his favorite past time."

"What makes you so special then? How come he works with you?" inquired Madara, genuinely interested.

"Cause I'm awesome." Grinned Naruto childishly. He turned serious right afterwards when Kurama berated him to stay focused during the fight, "No seriously, it took a lot of sweat and blood to get where I am. After that, everything just fell into place." Smiled Naruto fondly, remembering his past.

"Good, because anything else would be inadequate against me. Come, let us see who is stronger." Said Madara and restarted the fight by swinging the massive sword of Susanoo. Naruto responded by stopping the enormous sword with one of its chakra claws. A massive shockwave erupted but the fighters paid it no mind. The two attacks struggled to overcome each other but they were equally matched.

Madara saw that this was going nowhere and ordered Susanoo to attack with another sword but Naruto had other plans. Before Susanoo could even draw the sword, several chakra arms materialized out of Kyuubi's body and latched onto Susanoo, keeping it in place. The Susanoo struggled to move but Naruto wouldn't budge.

Naruto grunted in effort. This thing was strong, monstrously so. There was no time to waste.

The body of Kurama opened its mouth and fired over a dozen smaller bullets made of chakra. The attack hit Susanoo head on. This time the results were much better than the RasenShuriken's.

The samurai-like armor of Susanoo's was singed and scraped off in several places but Madara was unharmed.

Seeing that his attacks can breach his defense Madara went on the offensive but this time with more finesse. He attacked with a sword and Naruto smirked. If this is all it could do then this won't be a problem. His eyes widened a moment later when a massive magatama formed in Susanoo's other hand.

Naruto abandoned his plan of catching the sword and rather jumped back to avoid it. Chakra arms materialized in front of him and acted as a shield. The magatama was sent flying towards Naruto and hit his chakra arms which resulted in an explosion.

The armies' breath hitched in their throats when they saw the massive explosion, concerned for the one that fights for them.

The dust settled and the Kyuubi still stood strong and so did Naruto but not unharmed. The chakra arms were obliterated upon contact by the powerful attack and some of the explosion reached Naruto but not enough to do any lasting damage, just some minor burns.

Naruto growled at the man. He made a rookie mistake of underestimating an opponent and Madara to boot. Idiot! It won't happen again.

This time Naruto went on the offensive. The massive form of Kurama sprinted towards Madara, avoiding any slashes from him in the meantime. Mid-sprint Kurama roared and sent a chakra shockwave towards Madara. The shockwave picked up dirt and debris which were the size of small hills which momentarily blinded Madara and Naruto pounced on the opening.

Coming in close, the jaws of Kyuubi latched onto Susanoo's shoulders and in a show of strength lifted it off the ground and threw it across the sky.

Opening its mouth, it fired off a massive chakra bullet, much bigger than the previous ones and hit Susanoo right in the chest area.

Madara growled and ordered Susanoo to stab a sword in the ground, regaining its footing. 'What kind of an attack was that? Instead of using the Kyuubi's destructive chakra he would rather bite down on me. What an opponent!' smirked Madara internally. This is what he was waiting for. A fight that will push him towards his limits just like Hashirama in the past.

Naruto's attack had an effect on Susanoo judging from the singing of its armour in the chest area where the attack hit but not enough to breach it.

The fight continued right afterwards. Both fighters in their perfect forms dashed towards each other.

Madara slashed with two of his swords but Naruto blocked it with two of his chakra claws. The two were at a standstill once more but not for long. In a risky maneuver Madara let go of one of his swords and proceeded to punch the massive form of the Kyuubi and sent it flying backwards.

Naruto managed to regain his balance and mid-flight shot a powerful chakra bullet towards his opponent. Madara blocked it with his sword but the blast was still strong enough to send him skidding backwards a good 20 feet.

The fighters regained their footing and attacked each other with their respective ranged attacks.

Naruto fired off several chakra bullets while Madara formed a string of magatamas in his hands and sent them flying towards.

Some of them cancelled each other out but some continued their way towards their target. Both Madara and Naruto were enveloped in explosion but that didn't deter them one bit.

From the smoke of their attacks both fighters once more fired their attacks but this time with much more power behind them. Massive explosions rocketed their immediate area when the attacks bounced off each other. The two legendary fighters continued to rocket the area and each other with powerful explosion. They shrugged of the injuries they dealt to each other like it was nothing and continued with their attacks.

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"What is Naruto doing? Is he insane? He can't keep getting hit with attacks like that. He can't win like that. Madara is immortal." Said Kiba in concern. Others too shared his sentiment. They were watching the beating Naruto was taking and were wondering how long he can keep this up. Granted, Madara in no better position but he has Edo Tensei to heal him from any damage while Naruto's healing is limited.

"He is doing what he does best, winning in his own way. He always was one to go head-first into battles." Explained Kakashi. The confidence he held for Naruto was enough to alleviate the Rookies concerns for now.

"He will win, I know he will." Said Ino from the sidelines. The others turned to her and saw that she was watching the battle without an ounce of doubt of the outcome. Seeing her like that, made other people believe that he can really do it.

They turned back to the fight and silently cheered for their friend of many years.

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Gaara watched silently while his ninjas whispered among each other. Doubt was spreading through the ranks, he could feel it, hear it. They stopped believing in Naruto.

"Uzumaki Naruto will win." That got their attention and stopped the whispers. Gaara continued, "He will win because he can't afford to lose. His power increases tremendously when he is fighting to protect. It is not anger that fuels his power but serenity and friendship. He will continue fighting as long as he sees his friends around him. He won't stop until his last breath. So believe in him, like he believes in us."

He saw that doubt still lingered in the air but there was hope now in the ninjas eyes. A flicker of a smile appeared on his face while watching Naruto fight, ' Do it, Naruto.'

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'Come on Uzumaki… Show that my faith in you wasn't misplaced!' thought the Raikage.

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"Ha, that boy has more spunk in him than my entire village. I like it." Laughed Tsuchikage boisterously.

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The beautiful Mizukage observed the fight with a keen eye. She got to know the Kyuubi no Jinchuriki during and after the war and understood why he was thought to be the Child of Prophecy. He was unique in every way. He doesn't fight to kill but to protect, not just his friends but his beliefs. Before the Fourth Shinobi War, the nations were at a decline. The world was going down a path of destruction, everyone knew that. Only a catalyst was needed to start a war between all the nations. But then Uzumaki Naruto was born. It was like the world was protecting itself. He is the protector of this world and the catalyst of change and the embodiment of everything pure and good.

That is why right now, she has absolute faith in the man before her.

'Win!'

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Naruto was hit by another magatama and gritted his teeth. This was really starting to hurt even in this form. He shook of the pain and sped forward towards his opponent. Madara fired off another chain of magatamas in attempt to keep him away from close combat. Madara knew that Naruto had an advantage in close combat since he was faster and more agile than him in this form.

Naruto formed a wall of chakra in front of his form which stood strong against Madara's attack. Madara fired more of his magatamas and the attack hit the wall of chakra and finally broke it. But Naruto was close enough now.

A chakra arm emerged from his form and coiled around Madara like a snake, constricting his movements. Madara struggled against his bonds. Naruto saw that one arm won't be enough to hold this being and sent two more to hold down his arms. Madara growled in rage. He couldn't budge and his eyes widened when he saw the Kyuubi opening its jaws and concentrating a huge amount of chakra. He knew what this technique was and he couldn't allow himself to be hit at such a close range.

While Naruto was concentrating on forming the Bijudama, he missed when two more arms popped out of Susanoo's shoulders and immediately swung its swords towards Naruto.

Naruto's eyes widened and lost his concentration. The incomplete Bijudama became unstable and blew up and actually saved Naruto from Madara's attack by sending him flying away while doing the same thing to Madara.

"Damn, that hurt. I definitely didn't see that one coming." Mused Naruto to himself. He willed the chakra form of the Kyuubi around him to stand up. He looked towards Madara who was in the same position. He was in the middle of standing back up. It seems they both suffered from that attack.

While incomplete the Bijudama did quite some damage on the outer shell of Susanoo. Quite a lot of his armour was gone now and the bones of Susanoo could be clearly seen in those places.

But Naruto was in the same place. He himself was bleeding down his shoulder and down his forehead while the Kyuubi form was missing chunks of chakra on its body. All the damage accumulated throughout the fight was evident on both fighters.

Naruto smirked, "You truly are one tough bastard."

"Likewise, Uzumaki. Do you have any more tricks up your sleeve?" asked Madara.

Naruto responded by creating two huge chakra arms and pointed them upwards. In each hand, a massive RasenShuriken was starting to take shape. Madara who wasn't about to stay still and let that attack hit him, responded by forming two huge Magatama necklaces above his head. To finish the technique he enveloped the magatamas in raging fire.

His technique finished, Naruto threw the shurikens towards Madara while Madara did the same. The two techniques met in the middle of the battlefield. The two techniques struggled for domination and it didn't look like there will be any winner.

Madara and Naruto smirked at the same time and both clenched their fist which caused the two techniques to explode and enveloped the clearing in a bright light, blinding everyone.

Madara and Naruto were waiting for the smoke to clear itself. When it did it showed a humongous crater in the middle of the battlefield. One thing is certain; the landscape won't ever be the same after this battle.

'It's time' thought Naruto. He took a few steps forward in his giant Kyuubi form. He stopped at the edge of the crater they've just made.

He send Madara one last smirk and then started his plan. The Kyuubi form opened its massive jaws and started concentrating massive amounts of chakra, even more than for the previous Bijudama. The ball of chakra slowly started to take form. Two chakra arms sprouted from the shoulders and circled the Bijudama. Naruto raised his hands and placed them on the ball of chakra in front of him. He started adding more chakra while keeping it stabilized. While he did that, he willed the chakra arms to start adding wind chakra to the already devastating technique. Wind started circling the ball and slowly but surely blades of wind formed on each corner of the ball. The new technique continued to grow while Naruto struggled to maintain the balance. Beads of sweat trailed down his face from all the exertion. The sheer chakra necessary for the technique is something that would kill anyone else but him. Not even Killer Bee who had years to perfect his transformation could pull this off. It took years to perfect this technique but they did it. This is the combined power of Naruto and Kurama, the pinnacle of their strength.

Meanwhile, Madara eyed his opponent and analyzed his technique. The confident smirk that was on his face before, was now slowly diminishing with each passing second. When wind started circling the ball, Madara started sweating a bit. The chakra that was coming off of the ball was staggering. Getting hit by that thing wouldn't be the best of ideas.

In retaliation Susanoo stretched its 4 arms in front of its face. An unusual chakra started gathering inside the circle of the 4 arms. While most chakra is a shade of blue, this one was pure black. And the feeling of it was atrocious, sickening. The black ball of doom continued to grow until it was almost the size of Naruto's own technique. But not even that was enough to stop Naruto's new technique and Madara knew that. In order to even the field, he covered his technique in black flames. The two techniques continued to grow to an extent where the environment started to feel the effects. The earth was shaking, cracks appeared in the earth, the ground, the trees were burned from the intense heat and the powerful wind that was raging in the now decimated valley.

There was a moment of tranquility in the valley, a calm before the storm.

A second later, hell descended upon the world.

"**Bijuu: RasenDama!"**

"**Mugen!"**

The two techniques blasted off from their owners and met in the center of the valley. The powerful shockwave all but destroyed what was left off the earth. Purity met darkness, fire met wind and peace met terror. Two total opposites found each other in the middle of the battlefield. The two balls struggled over dominance. Naruto and Madara were constantly pushing more and more chakra to the already unstable techniques, desperately trying to overpower the other. The two balls grew to unfathomable size. They were already the size of a Toad Boss, now they extended even beyond that and there were no signs of stopping.

Even Madara and Naruto were feeling the effects of the Jutsus. Naruto was constantly slashed by the wind of his own technique and even some of the fire reached his position and started burning him and the Kyuubi form. He was gritting his teeth both in pain and exertion.

Madara wasn't far off. The protective armour of Susanoo was all but peeled off courtesy of his own flames and Naruto's wind. Even his Edo Tense body was showing effects of the Jutsus. The dust of the Edo Tensei was slowly peeling off his immortal body. It seems even the Edo Tensei has a limit of its own.

Madara growled, "I will not perish here! You cannot kill me! I am IMMORTAL!" His technique reacted to Madara's rage and slowly started overpowering Naruto's who was breathing raggedly and was bleeding all over the place.

Naruto cursed and slowly started losing ground to his opponent. While Edo Tensei constantly recovers his wounds and chakra, his do not. While Naruto has almost unlimited chakra at his disposal, it is useless if his body cannot handle the strain. He has already exerted chakra on the level of Hachibi and he was still pushing it out.

Grunting in pain, he managed to find some strength in him and pushed Madara back to a stalemate but at a cost. His muscles started tearing, his wounds worsened and he was barely holding on and Madara sensed that and started laughing maniacally.

"Kyaaahahaa, you see, you are nothing, an insect. I am perfection!" His Mugen technique once more expanded and pushed Naruto back who somehow returned in equal force, a testament to his determination and willpower.

Naruto's body was shaking uncontrollably and the orange aura around him slowly started to lose its brilliance. Madara sensed a moment of weakness in his opponent's concentration and reacted immediately.

**Mugen** outgrew Naruto's technique and almost succeeding in overpowering Naruto's but Naruto managed to slow it down. Despite his best efforts, with each passing moment Naruto was slowly but surely losing. His tank was empty, he had no more ideas on what to do next and the maniacal laughter coming from Madara wasn't helping either.

The two techniques were coming closer and closer to his position.

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The armies of the Nations stood shocked at the sight of two Gods fighting it out for supremacy. They defied the impossible with each move they made and they wondered if their potential even has a limit. Because frankly, the expression 'The Sky's the limit' doesn't apply to them apparently. They were so far over the sky they reached another realm by now.

With each chakra cell added to the Jutsus, the ninjas were having harder and harder time to keep their balance. Even though they were nowhere near their battle, they still felt the effects.

When the battle slowly reached its climax, the five Kages reacted and ordered their armies to fall back even further. As much as they hated to move even further away from the battle , they had to protect their subordinates.

But some wouldn't budge from their position. All the people who were touched by the phenomena that is Uzumaki Naruto stayed behind, even the Five Kages remained in their position when they saw the loyalty directed towards Naruto.

His friends were praying to everyone they could think off. Their ancestors, ghosts, ancient priests, God, Icha Icha series and to anything even remotely spiritual. This was their way of helping and battling alongside Naruto. They held hope that he would prevail but that hope fluttered away when they saw Naruto slowly losing ground. The final straw happened when the technique was mere meters away from his face. They closed their eyes and couldn't help but feel weak. If only they were stronger, they could have helped him….

'No, no, no…. Not now… Please hold on….' Were the thoughts of Ino who looked on helplessly while the orb of destruction neared Naruto…. "Naruto!" yelled Ino, hoping that her voice will somehow reach him in his time of need.

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'So, this is it, huh? The end of my story? How pitiful!' thought Naruto in his mind. Resignation? Until now, that word didn't exist in his vocabulary and he prided himself on that. No matter what, he never gave up. But right now while staring at the devastating technique in front of him, that word somehow settled inside his mind and he felt weak.

"Thank you for letting me be your mother if only for a few moments. Thank you for letting Minato be your father. Thank you for being our son. I love you so much." Were the words of his mother who poured out her heart in the few moments they had together. The memory of his Mother's love fueled him and gave him the strength to hold on a bit longer.

In the outside world, Naruto's technique slowly gained more power.

"You are my son and I believe in you. I believe you will find the answer and succeeded where I failed. You are my son after all." The smiling face of his Father gave him the determination to keep up his struggle. He did promise after all that he will find the answer which means his journey isn't over yet.

"The world is full of anger and we ninjas fight against that hatred. I searched my whole life for an answer against all that hatred and if I fail it will be up to you to continue my legacy." Were the words of his mentor, idol and Godfather.

"You can count on me, Ero-sennin!" was the response at the time of a younger Naruto.

Jiraiya laughed, "Just imagine all the girls that will flock to you. And I as your master will reap the rewards and die a happy man surrounded by angels."

"Ero-sennin!" yelled the younger Naruto in outrage, his face red as a tomato.

One of the few fond memories he shared with Jiraiya reenergized his body and the orange aura slowly gained strength once more.

"Naruto!" He somehow heard Ino's voice amidst all the chaos and destruction. He didn't know if it was real or not but that was the last straw for him.

He opened his eyes which shone with determination. A colossal amount of chakra was sent towards his technique which pushed back Madara's with amazing force. Madara reacted at the last possible moment and did the same as Naruto which caused the two techniques to finally explode. They have finally reached their limit.

The entire valley, the valley that was used as the staging area for their fight, was engulfed in a massive dome of fire and destruction. The dome expanded until it started nearing the edge of the barrier. The barrier started expanding in order to contain the explosion. The barrier slowly edged closer to the Rookies position and the people that stayed behind in order to support Naruto.

Having no choice they abandoned their position lest they get caught in the explosion.

It's a good thing they did because the dome that contained all that energy exploded outwards. A mushroom of smoke and fire, similar to a nuclear explosion, ascended into the sky.

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Ino cleared the rubble off her body. Despite being very far away from the epicenter of the blast, the shockwave reached their position no time and crushed the earth under their feet. She coughed out all the dust that filled her lungs and took some ragged breaths. She cleared her eyes and slowly stood up. She looked towards Naruto's last known location and saw nothing. There was no more Kyuubi and no more Susanoo. Fear crawled into her body and she rushed towards Naruto.

She reached the location where the barrier once prevented their entrance. She saw that the barrier was slowly regenerating. There were small holes and numerous cracks on the barrier.

Seeing that the barrier was weakened severely she punched the barrier with all her strength only to fail miserably. She tried again and again but nothing happened. She attacked it once more but only this time a tiny crack appeared in it. She blinked and saw why. The Godaime Hokage, Tsunade Senju's fist was next to hers on the barrier. Smiling in relief she sent her mentor a nod of gratitude which Tsunade happily returned.

Ino heard the sound of footsteps and saw her friends approaching along with the rest of the army.

She heard Tsunade speak, "Everyone, attack the barrier with everything you've got. It has been weakened by that explosion and this is our best chance of destroying it."

A roar of the army signified their response.

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""With Madara and Naruto""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""

"**Kit, you still with me? Kit? Naruto? Don't play with me, you stupid idiot! Wake up! Come on, talk to me!" roared Kurama inside Naruto's mind.**

"I can hear you Kurama… Stop shoutin!" despite feeling relief at hearing Naruto's voice he couldn't help but notice how weak it sounded. Just that one sentence sounded like it took all his strength.

"**You stupid idiot! What were you thinking pushing out more chakra in the state you were in! I know you were desperate but look at you now… You are useless as you are now…!"**

Lying on his back in the crater,Naruto chuckled which was a very bad idea since he coughed up blood. That wasn't the only thing wrong with his body. His clothes, rags really, were all but gone. The rags on his body covered only the essential things. The attack literally destroyed his body. A very deep wound was visible across his stomach area and was bleeding profusely from it. There were numerous cuts on his body, some small, some quite big. There was more blood visible on his body than skin. Every single spot was covered in blood either because of the bleeding or because of the wounds. It's a miracle he was still breathing.

"I can keep going. Just give me a minute or a month." Chuckled Naruto which caused his body to spasm which hurt like hell. His whole body, every single cell felt like it was on fire.

"**He is still alive, you know that right?"**

"I know. I didn't expect that attack to kill him." Responded Naruto who started moving his body despite its protests. He rested himself on his elbows and moved up from there.

"Let's go see how he is holding up." He stood on shaking knees and slowly limped forwards. He clutched the wound on his chest, hoping to tone down the bleeding a bit until his healing kicks in which might take a while after the stunt he just pulled.

Each step took whatever energy he had left but he had to keep going. The fight was not yet over.

Reaching the middle of the crater, he spotted Madara or should he say what was left of him.

Floating in the air was the head of Madara alongside his neck and two lumps that should have been arms. His lower body didn't survive the encounter. Now that he was seeing Madara in the state he was, Naruto felt that he was lucky, really lucky to be still alive let alone walking, limping really.

Madara was seething with anger. This boy did this much damage to him in his perfect form combined with the Edo Tensei.

Naruto smirked when he saw Madara's expression. He felt proud of himself that he was able to rile up a man such as Madara. Yep, despite the pain travelling through his body he felt victorious.

"Hurts, huh? Oh, I forgot, you don't feel pain." Chuckled Naruto.

Madara growled. What was taking Edo Tensei so long to repair his body?! He should have been fully healed by now.

"I guess my gamble pulled off." Smiled Naruto while breathing heavily.

Seeing the confused look on Madara's face prompted Naruto to continue, " It seems even the Edo Tensei has a limit when it comes to healing just like my own. That last attack somehow breached the limit of the Edo Tensei's healing power. You exerted too much power for Edo Tensei's liking. Sucks, huh?"

Madara growled. Could that actually be true? Is there really a limit to Edo Tensei? Judging from the state of his body, he figured that the boy was right. But no matter, he is still immortal. He will recover eventually. His confidence wavered when he saw the confident smirk on Naruto's face.

"You are probably thinking that it doesn't matter, right? You were thinking 'I'm still immortal. I'll recover eventually', right? Well, it is true that you would recover eventually but unfortunately I won't allow that."

Naruto put a hand over the sealing tattoo that was on his right arm. A second later two three-pronged kunais appeared in his palm. Madara raised an eyebrow at the weird kunais and wondered what the boy was planning. He couldn't move his body so he really wasn't in the position to do much else.

"My father was the Yondaime Hokage and one of the greatest Sealing masters in the world, on par if not greater than the Uzumaki Clan. He used Kunais like this for his space-time jutsu. I tried to learn his jutsu but couldn't do it, at least not yet. While learning the technique I came up with one of my own that uses his as a base." He threw one kunai to Madara's left side and one to his right one.

"You think a simple space-time jutsu is enough to kill me?!" raged Madara.

Naruto chuckled, "I do actually." He raised his left hand and put it into the Ram seal which made Madara's eyes wide as a saucer, not because of the Ram seal but because he felt something, a beacon of sorts. And it was inside his body, in his back, just below his neck area.

"What… What did you do to me and when? My eyes saw everything. There was no way you could have pulled off something without me knowing."

Naruto chuckled, "You and your eyes. I'm starting to think that's all you can do, talk about your eyes and its perfection. Remember right before you trapped me in your wood prison and tried to kill me with your huge ass meteor. I pierced your body with my Rasengan. Did that jog your memory?"

Madara's eyes widened in recognition.

"You know, I'm glad my gamble pulled off because the alternative option would suck for me."

Madara started cursing Naruto and whoever was even remotely connected with him but Naruto paid him no mind.

Forming the Ram Seal once more, Naruto slowly started pushing chakra in order to activate the technique. Madara felt the beacon in his back activate once more and increased his struggling. He wanted to scratch the fucking thing out of his back but that is wishful thinking now. No arms means no scratching. Tough luck Madara.

The two kunais started vibrating and a line of white light slowly started making its way to a point above Madara's head. The two lines connected at the peak and waited for the third line to join them. The beacon in Madara's body shone brightly and responded to his owner's calling. The three lines connected and the ground started shaking.

Inside the pyramid-like beam of light, a portal slowly opened, a swirling vortex that slowly stabilized until it reached the corners of the pyramid-like structure.

As the portal gained mass, its suction power increased alongside it. Trees, earth, whatever animals were still around, all were sucked inside this blackhole. Even Madara was slowly sucked in despite his struggling. The dust surrounding his Edo Tensei body was slowly being sucked in and Madara's body started to lose its form.

Madara watched on helplessly while his body, whatever was left of it, was dragged inside that phenomena.

He heard Naruto's condescending tone of voice, **"Sealing Jutsu: Banishment! **The name of the technique that will be your downfall. Beyond that portal, there is absolutely nothing. A void. A fitting place for a man of darkness such as yourself."

Naruto ignored the curses directed at him and continued, " Your Edo Tensei body proved to be your biggest weakness. You feel no pain and because of that you didn't feel the beacon inside your body and that is Edo Tensei's biggest weakness. You get complacent thinking that you cannot be killed, arrogance clouds your judgment and arrogance is the enemy of ninjas everywhere, even a man of such caliber as yourself."

Naruto saw Madara struggling to hold his ground, "It is futile to resist. You can't escape."

Madara roared in defiance. Who does this boy, this nobody think he is?! He is Uchiha Madara! The world bows at the mere mention of his name, ninjas everywhere tremble at the mere whisper of his existence. This boy is no one, a nobody!

"I WILL NOT PERISH HERE! I am Uchiha Madara and you are a nobody!" Defying the impossible once more, Naruto's eyes widened in shock when he saw the Edo Tensei dust slowly come back from the void which should have been impossible.

Madara roared in rage. The blood that runs through his body refused to admit defeat. Pure fury fueled his body.

Madara slowly trudged forward, each step( a floating step) meant he was closer to freedom. He could feel his power finally returning. His body was regenerating with each step. He started cackling at Naruto who was shocked beyond recognition, "Kyaaaaahahahahahahah!"

Naruto gritted his teeth and racked his brain for anything he could possibly do. He was utterly exhausted, there was nothing left in his body, not even a drop.

"**Don't you even think about it! Your body won't handle it! This isn't like when you fought the Akatsuki when you suffered baby scratches I could easily fix. Your body is on the brink of death. This isn't a matter how strong your will is, your body will break down and not even I will be able to save you." Roared Kurama.**

Naruto remained silent. His face morphed into a smile of gratitude directed towards his longest partner and friend.

Kurama growled, **" You idiot! I swear to God, if you die I will find you in the afterlife and beat the shit out of you! Now go and fucking rid that smug face off of Madara's face!"**

"It's been a blast Kurama!"

Naruto opened his eyes and the seal on his stomach glowed yellow. Chakra emerged out of the seal and surrounded his body once more. The yellow flames flickered along his frame and Madara's confident look disappeared immediately.

Naruto smirked despite the blood that was coming out of his ears, nose, eyes, mouth, chest and every possible place you can imagine. Damn, Kurama wasn't kidding.

"You lose….Madara!"

A fox head made of chakra surrounded Naruto's own head and roared defiantly. Chakra particles gathered inside its jaws and a few moments later it was done.

The intimidating eyes of the Kyuubi locked eyes with the fearful ones of Madara. Man vs beast. There really never was a contest. Laws of nature always prevail in the end.

"Perish… **Bijuu…Dama**" his voice barely even a whisper.

The attack rocketed towards Madara who screamed once more until he was sucked inside the void alongside the BijuuDama. The portal closed behind it, encasing him in a prison from where there was no escape.

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"Look, the barrier is cracking…. Everyone one more push!" roared Tsunade.

Fire, wind, water, earth, lightning hit the barrier full force and it finally broke. The armies cheered but there was no time for celebration.

The Rookies were first to react and were the first to arrive on the scene where their breaths hitched and their hearts stopped.

There in the middle stood Naruto, a bloody and a very pale version of Naruto. The once blue orbs that captivated everyone who gazed into them were now empty, soulless. They were pure white. His face was morphed into his foxy grin that defined him throughout his life. They rushed towards him, hoping that they weren't too late, the armies following close behind with the Kages in front.

They edged closer to him and Naruto slowly started falling down.

Ino was the first one there and caught the falling Naruto in her arms. Cold. That was what she felt. He was so cold.

"Naruto….. Naruto…. Come on Naruto…." Cried Ino while cradling him closer to her.

The Rookies formed a circle around the two and waited. That was all they could do.

Shikamaru leaned down and checked for vital signs. Their worst fears came true. There was nothing left. Shikamaru backed away with his eyes closed and tears flowing down his face like a waterfall.

Ino wailed and clutched Naruto's head to her chest. She won't let go, never!

The Rookies took solace in each other's arms and cried for their fallen comrade. Shikamaru put a hand on Ino's shoulder, "Ino… There is nothing…." He couldn't finish his sentence. His heart was breaking with every word he spoke…. He couldn't even imagine how Ino felt right now…

Ino refused to give up. She laid Naruto's body gently on the ground and her hands glowed a bright green.

The green aura encompassed Naruto's body, "Live! You don't get to die here…. Not now…. Not ever…. You deserve to live…. Please… Please…. Please…..PLEASE!" shouted Ino. Her cries of desperation reached Tsunade who arrived on the scene with the rest of the Kages. The mother inside of her broke, while the medic reacted immediately and was by Ino's side in a flash, her hands already healing her 'grandson's' body.

The tears betrayed her level-headedness. Her hands, her chakra felt nothing inside Naruto. Shizune soon joined them. Three of the greatest medics in the world were now their only hope.

The 4 Kages stood there solemnly. They were supposed to be the strongest of the strongest but here was a young soul battling their battle for them.

Ino continued to cry to the heavens while healing Naruto's broken body, "Naruto….Naruto….Breathe…Everyone's here for you… You won so please…breathe… I can't lose you….!"

But not even the combined effort of these 3 medics made any difference.

Naruto's white eyes gazed towards the sky, like he was telling them where he was.

The glowing green auras slowly started to lose its clearance, their power weakening. The sky chose that time to open up and started pouring down upon their bodies. The grime, the filth, the blood was washed away, the evidence of battle leaving Naruto's body. The heaven was cleaning his body for the passage to Heaven.

The once bright green chakras were now dull.

Ino's tears continued to fall on Naruto's cold body. Her fist still surrounded by the medical chakra started pounding on his chest, desperately trying restart his heart.

After a few minutes everything stopped. Silence. Ino's wails were the only thing that could be heard in the clearing. She rested her head on top of Naruto's chest and continued crying.

No one dared to say anything. What could they say?

Shikamaru in a rare display of emotion put a hand on Ino's shoulder who looked at him with puffy eyes, "Keep going…." Were Shikamaru's words to her. "Keep going… Don't stop… Don't give up…. Show him what he will be missing…."

Ino nodded at him gratefully, thankful for his words… She once more activated her technique but it was stronger than before. Ino felt stronger, better. She looked up and Shikamaru smiling down at her. She understood. She could feel his chakra mixing with her own.

She poured more of it inside Naruto, 'I won't give up, dattebayo!'

The Rookies saw what Shikamaru was doing and joined him. They either put a hand on Shizune, Tsunade, Ino or Shikamaru and formed a link between them, fueling their bond.

The Kages were next, then the rest of the army. Everyone was pouring their chakra into Naruto who remained motionless.

The once calm green chakras were now acting like a raging fire and Naruto was the one being burned. His whole body was on flame with green aura. The wounds on Naruto's body healed instantly but he himself remained silent. The chakra kept coming and coming. Everything was given to him even Killer Bee was almost completely drained by now, the Hachibi not far behind.

"Come on, come on, come ON! NARUTOOOOO!" yelled Ino one last time until the chakra around Naruto disappeared.

Pain. Pain shook everyone. Their victory came at a great cost.

Ino silently cried for her fallen lover. She lamented not telling him how she felt about him. He was the one for her, she knew it. And now….he was…. go….n…

"Even in death you are still loud." Were the humorous words of the man known as the Child of Prophecy.

Ino's eyes opened like a rocket and gazed upon the brilliant blue of his. Naruto smiled, "Hi."

Ino chuckled in disbelief, "Hi." A simple word turned the army into frenzy. They roared and yelled to the sky and thanked whoever brought their savior back. Amidst the frenzy, the celebration, Naruto and Ino had a moment for themselves

"Miss me?" joked Naruto. Ino chuckled and clear the tears out of her, she thought that God was playing tricks with her, tormenting her for something she had done in the past but only Naruto would crack a joke at a time like this, "No, I'm just crying because I got something in my eye."

Naruto's laugh was silent and barely existent but it was there for Ino to hear, "Marry me."

Ino blinked, "W-hat?"

"Marry me Ino Yamanaka." Smiled lovingly Naruto.

"You idiot, of course I'll marry you. I love you with every fiber of my being. Yes, I will marry you Uzumaki Naruto." Cried Ino tears of joy.

"Good. I'll pass out now. See you in a week or two." Smiled Naruto before going limp.

Ino smiled, "And I'll be there when you wake up."

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"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride. Congratulations gaki!" smiled lovingly Tsunade.

Ino and Naruto gazed lovingly in each other's eyes and slowly inched closer. Their lips met and signified the unyielding bond between the two.

"Go Uzumaki!" yelled Karin, ignoring the eyes that were now surely upon her.

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"Naruto, I have some big news." Said Ino to Naruto who was in the middle of making ramen.

Naruto raised an eyebrow, "What is it honey?"

Ino beamed, "You are going to be a father!"

The bowl in Naruto's hands dropped to the floor, "W-h-a-t?"

Ino smiled radiantly while rubbing her stomach, "You are going to be a father and I'm going to be a mother!"

Naruto scooped his wife and his arms and twirled her around while crying tears of joy, "I AM GOING TO BE A FATHER!"

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"Hokage-sama, your wife is in labor!"

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"Congratulations. You are the father of healthy triplets." Said Shizune while handing two babies, a boy and a girl, to an exhausted Ino in her bed and another boy to Naruto.

Naruto cradled his son lovingly and kissed Ino on the forehead, "Thank you. You just made me the happiest man on earth."

"What are you going to name them?" asked Tsunade who was itching to hold her grandbabies in her arms but knew better than to take them from Ino or Naruto. That would just spell pain.

Ino smiled lovingly at her daughter and son in her arms, "Kushina, Minato…." Naruto continued, "And Jiraiya."

""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""**Finished! It was a bumpy ride but I finally finished it. Thank you for keeping the story alive, you were amazing. I hope I did the story justice with the ending and I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I enjoyed writing it. Thanks again!**

**See ya!**


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